Tall Trees & Tributaries - Workshop
Tall Trees and Tributaries brought together artists and knowledge holders in the forests of the Yarra Valley to ignite the creation of a performance and art installation at Birrarung Marr. In early April 2014 several artists from the Yarra Valley travelled to the Ada Tree and Kalatha Tree as part of a five-day art workshop. They made art in the moment of inspiration in the middle of the forest. Stories were shared; collaborations between artists developed.
Participating artists had the opportunity to learn from local historians, Aboriginal historians, environmentalists, and scientists. They also gained insight from the Knitting Nannas of Toolangi and a resident from the Little Red Toolangi Treehouse. Performance, singing and artistic workshops were run each day, led by our team. A local filmmaker captured all this, turning it into a short documentary.
Tall Trees and Tributaries is a new project that has sprung out of Scenes on the Yarra, a series of site-specific performance/installations which were held in Warburton, Yarra Glen and Warrandyte in 2013, and will continue along the Yarra River from the Headwaters to the Sea. This time Scenes on the Yarra has joined forces with Warburton Environment, an important community group working towards the creation of the Great Forest National Park- Protecting the last of our old growth forests to preserve endangered species and Melbourne’s drinking water.
Victoria's catchment areas contains some of our largest and grandest trees, in particular the Ada Tree in the Yarra State Forest and the Kalatha Tree in Toolangi State Forest. These giant trees and small waterways form part of the habitat for many endangered species such as the Leadbeater Possum and Sooty Owl. These areas are also the major source of Melbourne’s fresh clean drinking water.
The workshop was led by
Creative and Sceneographer - Jeminah Reidy
Storyteller - Simon Oats
Environmentalist and Creative - Karina Doughty
Singing and Choir Leader - Polly Christie
Specialist Speakers
Uncle Roy - Indigenous Elder, Storyteller
Don Butcher- Naturalist, Interpreter, Bushwalking Guide and Teacher.
Deanne Eccles- from the Knitting Knannas of Toolangi (KNOT)
Sean Marler - Environmental Scientist
On the last day of the workshop the local community was invited to the Arts Centre in Warburton to an open studio day. In the afternoon we held a story-sharing circle, this was an opportunity for locals to share their stories with the artists. Stories of environment, memories and childhood recollections. In return, locals learnt about what the artists had developed during the workshop.
The artists have 12 months to develop their artworks, performance and film. Then in early 2015 we will bring our performance and art installations to the city folk at Federation Square and Birrarung Marr. With funding from the Yarra Ranges Council and Melbourne Water the production of Tall Trees and Tributaries at Birrarung Marr is well on the way.
Participating artists had the opportunity to learn from local historians, Aboriginal historians, environmentalists, and scientists. They also gained insight from the Knitting Nannas of Toolangi and a resident from the Little Red Toolangi Treehouse. Performance, singing and artistic workshops were run each day, led by our team. A local filmmaker captured all this, turning it into a short documentary.
Tall Trees and Tributaries is a new project that has sprung out of Scenes on the Yarra, a series of site-specific performance/installations which were held in Warburton, Yarra Glen and Warrandyte in 2013, and will continue along the Yarra River from the Headwaters to the Sea. This time Scenes on the Yarra has joined forces with Warburton Environment, an important community group working towards the creation of the Great Forest National Park- Protecting the last of our old growth forests to preserve endangered species and Melbourne’s drinking water.
Victoria's catchment areas contains some of our largest and grandest trees, in particular the Ada Tree in the Yarra State Forest and the Kalatha Tree in Toolangi State Forest. These giant trees and small waterways form part of the habitat for many endangered species such as the Leadbeater Possum and Sooty Owl. These areas are also the major source of Melbourne’s fresh clean drinking water.
The workshop was led by
Creative and Sceneographer - Jeminah Reidy
Storyteller - Simon Oats
Environmentalist and Creative - Karina Doughty
Singing and Choir Leader - Polly Christie
Specialist Speakers
Uncle Roy - Indigenous Elder, Storyteller
Don Butcher- Naturalist, Interpreter, Bushwalking Guide and Teacher.
Deanne Eccles- from the Knitting Knannas of Toolangi (KNOT)
Sean Marler - Environmental Scientist
On the last day of the workshop the local community was invited to the Arts Centre in Warburton to an open studio day. In the afternoon we held a story-sharing circle, this was an opportunity for locals to share their stories with the artists. Stories of environment, memories and childhood recollections. In return, locals learnt about what the artists had developed during the workshop.
The artists have 12 months to develop their artworks, performance and film. Then in early 2015 we will bring our performance and art installations to the city folk at Federation Square and Birrarung Marr. With funding from the Yarra Ranges Council and Melbourne Water the production of Tall Trees and Tributaries at Birrarung Marr is well on the way.
