Oh! Christmas Tree
- Sat Nov 21 - Thu Dec 24
Alton Mill Arts Centre
Looking for a whimsical alternative to your traditional Christmas tree? Visit the Mill for Christmas trees like you've never seen before! Take a look at all the different three dimensional Yuletide works the Mill's artists have created. Placed throughout the Mill there are 22 works on wood for you to discover!
Just to give you a little sneak peek, here are some of our artists’ trees!
“The Kiss of Klimpt Christmas” by Lynda Clare
For her Art Tree, Clare has put her own charming twist on one of Gustav Klimpt’s most iconic paintings, The Kiss. Using a stylized outline of a traditional Christmas tree, Clare has cut her tree form out of thick plywood, which acts as her canvas. Pulling inspiration from the Art Nouveau style, her tree includes the use of many curved, wavy/ organic lines (meant to mimic those found in nature) and rich tones of gold, very characteristic of the gold decorative elements in Klimpt’s paintings. Clare's beautiful Art Tree can be found in the Bartlett Gallery on the main floor of the Alton Mill. The natural light streaming through the gallery's large windows illuminates Clare's piece and creates a truly magical experience!
“Party Dress” by Gallery Gemma
Anne-Marie Warburton and Natalie Wilson at Gallery Gemma have directed their talents for designing and displaying award-winning jewelry to make a dazzling three-dimensional Art Tree! Captured are all of the fun elements of a girl’s night out, from the pin, tuck and twist of a flirty hairdo to accessorizing an outfit with beaded necklaces and finally experiencing the excitement of the bright city lights. Using plywood as their base, the Warburton and Wilson pinned, tucked and bustled decorative green tulle, embellished with ornate beaded chains and layered twinkling Christmas lights to bring their “Party Dress” to life. Drop by Gallery Gemma on the main floor of the Alton Mill to see their Art Tree…no invite needed!
“Wiggins Court” by John Leenders
When most people see an old, tarnished metal object they just keep walking on by, but not artist John Leenders. He sees the potential in that metal most people overlook, to become a one-of-a-kind work of art. To create his Art Tree, Leenders put together pieces of rusted/ discoloured metal including a large metal sign with the word “Wiggins” written on it as the body of his tree and a large red metal star as the topper. He embellished the piece withrows of small light bulbs that run diagonally across the tree like a theater marquee. Well over six feet tall, the metal structure has quite a presence once its flashing lights are turned on. This, in combination with the primary colours of the metal (red, blue and yellow) very quickly reminds one of being a kid at an amusement park; all the different coloured rides, blinking lights and the pure joy it all brings. This feeling of nostalgia is what Christmas is all about, remembering the good times and creating new memories! Leenders' Art Tree can be found on the upper level of the Alton Mill, just outside the Noodle Gallery doors.
These trees are available for sale at prices ranging from $85 to $12,000. For next Christmas, forget about vacuuming needles or displaying a factory-made fake - pick up one of these truly unique works of art instead!
