Past Events
2019/2020 events
Textile workshops
Screenprinting workshops
Art with Altitude market at Mt Glorious
2018/2019 events
Textile workshops - skills development project for co-op members
Screenprinting workshops - ongoing throughout the year
Puppet making - work commenced on the creation of a giant Eastern curlew puppet to support the Toondah Harbour wetland awareness campaign.
Art with Altitude market at Mt Glorious - participation at the annual market selling original handprinted merchandise created at Upatree workshops
2017/2018 events
Screenprinting masterclass with Nancy Brown
Sea creature series of screens developed further with multiple workshops focused on design and printing
Art with Altitude market at Mt Glorious - handprinted merchandise featuring sea creature designs
2016/2017 events
Silversmithing workshops with Renata Fojtikova and a pop-up jewellery exhibition - funding was obtained via a Moreton Bay Regional Council RADF grant to hold silversmithing workshops for the Redcliffe, Caboolture and Samford communities. A pop-up jewellery exhibition was help at the Redcliffe studio of Jo St Baker.
Screen printing workshops with Nancy Brown - Upatree members created new sea creature designs for new screens
Festiva Latina - Day of the Dead giant puppet performance and processional
Luminous Lantern Parade - one again we were privilege to take our giant puppets to celebrate and welcome refugees to Queensland
Samford Handmade Market - handmade Upatree screen printed merchandise was sold at the market to raise revenue for the co-op
2015/2016 events
Festiva Latina Day of the Dead giant puppet performance
Luminous Lantern Parade
Out of the Box Festival - creation of four giant sculpture installations at QPAC
Giant puppet and lantern making workshop at Goondiwindi State High School
Silversmithing workshop with Renata Fojtikova
Big Day of Belonging - lantern making workshop at the State Library of Queensland
2014/2015 events
Swell Sculpture Festival - giant puppet performance
Upatree Arts' 10 anniversary celebrations
Bleach Festival - giant puppet performance
Earth Hour - lantern making workshop and parade for the Logan City Council
Luminous Lantern Parade - puppet performance in Brisbane city
Silversmithing workshop with Renata Fojtikova
Dragon Debut at Festivals 2012
Our Rainbow Serpent Dragon debuted at the Red Deer Festival 2012 with an afternoon and evening performance. The Dragon danced through the crowd to the fantastic music and enjoyed delighting festival goers.
The Dragon then went on to appear at the West End Block Party once again enjoying dancing to the fun music and wowing crowds. The last festival for our Dragon in 2012 was the Golden days Festival up at Coolum. The Dragon danced to Fat Freddy’s Drop and Blue King Brown and enjoyed the amazement and attention.
Check out footage from the Golden Days festival here Golden Days Festival 2012 and see if you spot our Rainbow Beauty.
Nancy Brown Printmaking Workshops
Upatree Arts were very excited to be successful in a bid to receive the Regional Art Development Fund (RADF) to employ renowned artist to run some community art workshops with us. The first in the series were Printmaking workshops with Nancy Brown and were very well attended. We learnt how to make lino block prints, sun printing, collagraphs, stencil screen printing and the process of applying images to screen using photo emulsion.
Upatree Arts Market Day Elm Haus Cafe 4 Dec 2011
What a huge turn out and so much fun. In our continuing quest to raise awareness of Upatree Arts and our Giant Puppets of Flight project for 2012. A big thanks to all the musicians on the day who kept us entertained- celloists, solo guitar and singing, Samford Valley Steiner School Choir and Highs chool musicians and three piece jazz set..Just GREAT!
The stalls all looked very enticing with hand printed t-shirts, sculptures, Nature Play Toys, recycled and vintage clothing, Jewellery and plants.
A lot of people were asking if it could become a weekly event!..but at this stage we ‘ll just stick to annual.
We thank all who helped make the day a success.
Upatree Open Day Nov 2011
Thanks to all the great workshop Facilitators and participants for a fantastic day. Jillian and Pam were busy teaching the sewing and construction in bags and other useful creation. Jill Casavecchia led a beautiful silk painting session, Janet Bailey taught her skills in the art of Watercolours and Rhonda Clark and Ingrid Burkett inspired some amazing little finger puppets.
It was just great hanging out amongst such a whirl of creativity and most importantly we welcomed new members to Upatree Arts
Red Deer Festival 2010 & 2011
Situated in a natural amphitheatre, beneath the rolling mountains of the pristine D’Aguilar range just outside of Samford on the Northside of Brisbane, this boutique 24 hour music and camping festival is a fun place for puppets to dance and make merry. With a constant stream of great music City Chic and Earth puppts were able to embrace the festival spirit and have a great time. Looking forward to future years of a fantastic local music festival.
Swell Sculpture Festival
September 15th, 2010
On a beach somewhere in Spring Swell really! What a show! Awesome creatures – four giant puppets, shy at first, and curious, tip-toeing onto a white sandy beach. Sniffing the ocean air, stepping slowly, silently, they suddenly sensed something…….. something special, something peculiar – something …… like themselves. Along the foreshore they saw fascinating objects – things of beauty and intrigue…. Sculptures on the beach! Earth, Water, Forest and City Puppets….. pranced, paraded, played pranks and pirouetted with the sculptures. They danced, they stood captivated, they pondered – they created poetic visions with these beautiful creations carved from the hands and hearts of artists. On a lazy Currumbin beach in Spring 2010, the puppets had entered the world of the Swell Sculpture Festival …….. They were never to be the same again……. Swell Sculpture Festival 2010 –see the photos in the gallery.
Marching Band Mayhem!
June 20th, 2010
Yesterday two of the Puppets, earth man and water dude, set forth in the big city and strutted their stuff with a collection of the Brisbanes marching and brass bands. It was a lot of fun especially the contrast between the precision of the marching bands and some of the kooky wild marching happening with the puppets. We had two amazing puppet band leaders who drew many smiles from the crowd during the whole performance. Nothing took away from the fantastic sight of the two puppets cruising down the mall and kicking up their heels in King George Square.
Puppets support reconciliation
May 26th, 2010
Sometimes, the puppets just can’t contain themselves, and insist upon being taken out on an excursion. Thus it was, that five of us found ourselves setting up “Spirit of the Forest” in King George Square, Brisbane, where we planned to join the local Reconciliation March, commemorating Sorry Day, as a gesture of solidarity towards Indigenous Australians. Now, as it turns out, giant puppets mustn’t be that common in King George Square, because we hadn’t been there long when a nervous city council security operative, with police back up, arrived to interrogate Forest as to her intentions. Forest explained in a good natured way that she was there to join in with the reconciliation march, which seemed to allay the concerns of the authorities, even though they hadn’t been aware of the march. Having thus received the blessing of the forces of law and order, we awaited the advent of the marchers. Forest proved to be a great conversationist, and many people stopped to say hello, and enquire about the state of the Forests, her opinion of the gleaming new concrete expanse in front of City Hall, and have their photos taken in her warm embrace. Then suddenly, the marchers arrived, and with several cheerful constables on push bikes stopping traffic and looking out for Forest’s safety, Forest joined the march, and in fact, lead the march down the street! Along the way, Forest managed to pick up TI and Aboriginal flags, and waved them cheerfully at all and sundry, no doubt intending all to know whose land she thought it was….
Having arrived at the end of the march, Forest politely declined a BBQed sausage, being a non-carnivorous plant, and listened to a few speeches, before packing herself up and off back up to her home on the mountain, an afternoon well spent
Trailer!
March 9th, 2010
Today our new puppet trailer is ready to pick up! Thanks to the Community Benefit Gambling Fund the puppets can now travel in style with the delivery of a shiny new green trailer complete with roofracks and tool box.
Strathpine Santa Parade
December 12th, 2009
Its Christmas time again which means the puppets favourite Santa Parade at Strathpine. Much Fun was had by all at this annual event.
Theatre workshop with Anna Yen
November 11th, 2009
Thankyou to all those members who participated in the Anna Yen theatre workshop. I thought it was an amazing day. I was pushed way out of my comfort zone and survived, learnt a few things about myself, felt very connected to all of the people that were there and was inspired to try and incorporate what we
learnt into our performing. I am very tired today on all levels but it
was well worth it.
2019/2020 events
Textile workshops
Screenprinting workshops
Art with Altitude market at Mt Glorious
2018/2019 events
Textile workshops - skills development project for co-op members
Screenprinting workshops - ongoing throughout the year
Puppet making - work commenced on the creation of a giant Eastern curlew puppet to support the Toondah Harbour wetland awareness campaign.
Art with Altitude market at Mt Glorious - participation at the annual market selling original handprinted merchandise created at Upatree workshops
2017/2018 events
Screenprinting masterclass with Nancy Brown
Sea creature series of screens developed further with multiple workshops focused on design and printing
Art with Altitude market at Mt Glorious - handprinted merchandise featuring sea creature designs
2016/2017 events
Silversmithing workshops with Renata Fojtikova and a pop-up jewellery exhibition - funding was obtained via a Moreton Bay Regional Council RADF grant to hold silversmithing workshops for the Redcliffe, Caboolture and Samford communities. A pop-up jewellery exhibition was help at the Redcliffe studio of Jo St Baker.
Screen printing workshops with Nancy Brown - Upatree members created new sea creature designs for new screens
Festiva Latina - Day of the Dead giant puppet performance and processional
Luminous Lantern Parade - one again we were privilege to take our giant puppets to celebrate and welcome refugees to Queensland
Samford Handmade Market - handmade Upatree screen printed merchandise was sold at the market to raise revenue for the co-op
2015/2016 events
Festiva Latina Day of the Dead giant puppet performance
Luminous Lantern Parade
Out of the Box Festival - creation of four giant sculpture installations at QPAC
Giant puppet and lantern making workshop at Goondiwindi State High School
Silversmithing workshop with Renata Fojtikova
Big Day of Belonging - lantern making workshop at the State Library of Queensland
2014/2015 events
Swell Sculpture Festival - giant puppet performance
Upatree Arts' 10 anniversary celebrations
Bleach Festival - giant puppet performance
Earth Hour - lantern making workshop and parade for the Logan City Council
Luminous Lantern Parade - puppet performance in Brisbane city
Silversmithing workshop with Renata Fojtikova
Dragon Debut at Festivals 2012
Our Rainbow Serpent Dragon debuted at the Red Deer Festival 2012 with an afternoon and evening performance. The Dragon danced through the crowd to the fantastic music and enjoyed delighting festival goers.
The Dragon then went on to appear at the West End Block Party once again enjoying dancing to the fun music and wowing crowds. The last festival for our Dragon in 2012 was the Golden days Festival up at Coolum. The Dragon danced to Fat Freddy’s Drop and Blue King Brown and enjoyed the amazement and attention.
Check out footage from the Golden Days festival here Golden Days Festival 2012 and see if you spot our Rainbow Beauty.
Nancy Brown Printmaking Workshops
Upatree Arts were very excited to be successful in a bid to receive the Regional Art Development Fund (RADF) to employ renowned artist to run some community art workshops with us. The first in the series were Printmaking workshops with Nancy Brown and were very well attended. We learnt how to make lino block prints, sun printing, collagraphs, stencil screen printing and the process of applying images to screen using photo emulsion.
Upatree Arts Market Day Elm Haus Cafe 4 Dec 2011
What a huge turn out and so much fun. In our continuing quest to raise awareness of Upatree Arts and our Giant Puppets of Flight project for 2012. A big thanks to all the musicians on the day who kept us entertained- celloists, solo guitar and singing, Samford Valley Steiner School Choir and Highs chool musicians and three piece jazz set..Just GREAT!
The stalls all looked very enticing with hand printed t-shirts, sculptures, Nature Play Toys, recycled and vintage clothing, Jewellery and plants.
A lot of people were asking if it could become a weekly event!..but at this stage we ‘ll just stick to annual.
We thank all who helped make the day a success.
Upatree Open Day Nov 2011
Thanks to all the great workshop Facilitators and participants for a fantastic day. Jillian and Pam were busy teaching the sewing and construction in bags and other useful creation. Jill Casavecchia led a beautiful silk painting session, Janet Bailey taught her skills in the art of Watercolours and Rhonda Clark and Ingrid Burkett inspired some amazing little finger puppets.
It was just great hanging out amongst such a whirl of creativity and most importantly we welcomed new members to Upatree Arts
Red Deer Festival 2010 & 2011
Situated in a natural amphitheatre, beneath the rolling mountains of the pristine D’Aguilar range just outside of Samford on the Northside of Brisbane, this boutique 24 hour music and camping festival is a fun place for puppets to dance and make merry. With a constant stream of great music City Chic and Earth puppts were able to embrace the festival spirit and have a great time. Looking forward to future years of a fantastic local music festival.
Swell Sculpture Festival
September 15th, 2010
On a beach somewhere in Spring Swell really! What a show! Awesome creatures – four giant puppets, shy at first, and curious, tip-toeing onto a white sandy beach. Sniffing the ocean air, stepping slowly, silently, they suddenly sensed something…….. something special, something peculiar – something …… like themselves. Along the foreshore they saw fascinating objects – things of beauty and intrigue…. Sculptures on the beach! Earth, Water, Forest and City Puppets….. pranced, paraded, played pranks and pirouetted with the sculptures. They danced, they stood captivated, they pondered – they created poetic visions with these beautiful creations carved from the hands and hearts of artists. On a lazy Currumbin beach in Spring 2010, the puppets had entered the world of the Swell Sculpture Festival …….. They were never to be the same again……. Swell Sculpture Festival 2010 –see the photos in the gallery.
Marching Band Mayhem!
June 20th, 2010
Yesterday two of the Puppets, earth man and water dude, set forth in the big city and strutted their stuff with a collection of the Brisbanes marching and brass bands. It was a lot of fun especially the contrast between the precision of the marching bands and some of the kooky wild marching happening with the puppets. We had two amazing puppet band leaders who drew many smiles from the crowd during the whole performance. Nothing took away from the fantastic sight of the two puppets cruising down the mall and kicking up their heels in King George Square.
Puppets support reconciliation
May 26th, 2010
Sometimes, the puppets just can’t contain themselves, and insist upon being taken out on an excursion. Thus it was, that five of us found ourselves setting up “Spirit of the Forest” in King George Square, Brisbane, where we planned to join the local Reconciliation March, commemorating Sorry Day, as a gesture of solidarity towards Indigenous Australians. Now, as it turns out, giant puppets mustn’t be that common in King George Square, because we hadn’t been there long when a nervous city council security operative, with police back up, arrived to interrogate Forest as to her intentions. Forest explained in a good natured way that she was there to join in with the reconciliation march, which seemed to allay the concerns of the authorities, even though they hadn’t been aware of the march. Having thus received the blessing of the forces of law and order, we awaited the advent of the marchers. Forest proved to be a great conversationist, and many people stopped to say hello, and enquire about the state of the Forests, her opinion of the gleaming new concrete expanse in front of City Hall, and have their photos taken in her warm embrace. Then suddenly, the marchers arrived, and with several cheerful constables on push bikes stopping traffic and looking out for Forest’s safety, Forest joined the march, and in fact, lead the march down the street! Along the way, Forest managed to pick up TI and Aboriginal flags, and waved them cheerfully at all and sundry, no doubt intending all to know whose land she thought it was….
Having arrived at the end of the march, Forest politely declined a BBQed sausage, being a non-carnivorous plant, and listened to a few speeches, before packing herself up and off back up to her home on the mountain, an afternoon well spent
Trailer!
March 9th, 2010
Today our new puppet trailer is ready to pick up! Thanks to the Community Benefit Gambling Fund the puppets can now travel in style with the delivery of a shiny new green trailer complete with roofracks and tool box.
Strathpine Santa Parade
December 12th, 2009
Its Christmas time again which means the puppets favourite Santa Parade at Strathpine. Much Fun was had by all at this annual event.
Theatre workshop with Anna Yen
November 11th, 2009
Thankyou to all those members who participated in the Anna Yen theatre workshop. I thought it was an amazing day. I was pushed way out of my comfort zone and survived, learnt a few things about myself, felt very connected to all of the people that were there and was inspired to try and incorporate what we
learnt into our performing. I am very tired today on all levels but it
was well worth it.
International Community Development Conference
June 17th, 2009
NEW puppets, we have four new spirit of country puppets: earth, rainforest, and water and city spirits. Made possible by a Q150 grant they premiered at the opening ceremony of the International Community Development Conference at the Brisbane convention centre.
Forest, Earth, City and Water looked fantastic and were well recieved byu conference patrons.
June 17th, 2009
NEW puppets, we have four new spirit of country puppets: earth, rainforest, and water and city spirits. Made possible by a Q150 grant they premiered at the opening ceremony of the International Community Development Conference at the Brisbane convention centre.
Forest, Earth, City and Water looked fantastic and were well recieved byu conference patrons.
Screen Printing Workshop with Nancy Brown
April 19th, 2009
Thankyou so much Nancy Brown for teaching us so much and inspiring us to make some fantastic material for our new community spirit puppets.
With the help of so many of the Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious community we made some edgy black and white city scapes. Intricate and beautiful linoprint sea scales. Jungle print mountain style and the amazing sun printing for a desert scene.
With the edgy art of ironing well on display and some fabulous food a good weekend was had by all.
Now to the sewing…..
Interfaith Festival
November 30th, 2008
Maleny
Co-op artists worked with groups of teenagers to create giant lanterns as part of their exploration of spirituality.
Eighth Special Olympics
October 31st, 2006
The puppets hit the big time when performing at the Gold Coast Convention Centre with Lee Kernighan in support. An enthusiastic crowd keen to congo kept puppeteers on their toes throughout their performance.
Cultural Connections
September 30th, 2006
Brisbane City Council Library Project
Co-op artists worked on a two-month project at Bracken Ridge library, where puppetry workshops formed part of a cross-generational collaborative performance between writers, historians, crafts people and young people in the community. Community members and co-op artists collaborated on a short narrative, script, poem and music. Characters were derived from this work which then became puppets, lanterns and masked performers – these made their appearance at a celebratory day and festival.
The second part of this project saw artists head to the sea where they worked with the Wynum community on their story. The artists helped workshop participants uncover themes they wished to explore with their creations. Community members wrote a series of narratives, one of which was selected by the group as the performance piece – Ooooze! Pandemonium at Pandanus. Co-op musicians and creative locals developed an accompanying musical sound scape. The culmination of this two-month project was a giant puppet performance, which were later joined by the lanterns in a parade that was a highlight of the Wynum Spring Festival.
Cine Sparks family day
August 4th, 2006
Co-op members were invited by the Brisbane International Film Festival to run lantern-making workshops for families at South Bank. The co-op designed a series of lantern-making kits to ensure there was something for all ages – from simple lanterns for small children to more complicated stars and butterflies. The lanterns (and lantern makers) joined the giant puppets and the co-op band for a romp around the Piazza after sundown.
April 19th, 2009
Thankyou so much Nancy Brown for teaching us so much and inspiring us to make some fantastic material for our new community spirit puppets.
With the help of so many of the Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious community we made some edgy black and white city scapes. Intricate and beautiful linoprint sea scales. Jungle print mountain style and the amazing sun printing for a desert scene.
With the edgy art of ironing well on display and some fabulous food a good weekend was had by all.
Now to the sewing…..
Interfaith Festival
November 30th, 2008
Maleny
Co-op artists worked with groups of teenagers to create giant lanterns as part of their exploration of spirituality.
Eighth Special Olympics
October 31st, 2006
The puppets hit the big time when performing at the Gold Coast Convention Centre with Lee Kernighan in support. An enthusiastic crowd keen to congo kept puppeteers on their toes throughout their performance.
Cultural Connections
September 30th, 2006
Brisbane City Council Library Project
Co-op artists worked on a two-month project at Bracken Ridge library, where puppetry workshops formed part of a cross-generational collaborative performance between writers, historians, crafts people and young people in the community. Community members and co-op artists collaborated on a short narrative, script, poem and music. Characters were derived from this work which then became puppets, lanterns and masked performers – these made their appearance at a celebratory day and festival.
The second part of this project saw artists head to the sea where they worked with the Wynum community on their story. The artists helped workshop participants uncover themes they wished to explore with their creations. Community members wrote a series of narratives, one of which was selected by the group as the performance piece – Ooooze! Pandemonium at Pandanus. Co-op musicians and creative locals developed an accompanying musical sound scape. The culmination of this two-month project was a giant puppet performance, which were later joined by the lanterns in a parade that was a highlight of the Wynum Spring Festival.
Cine Sparks family day
August 4th, 2006
Co-op members were invited by the Brisbane International Film Festival to run lantern-making workshops for families at South Bank. The co-op designed a series of lantern-making kits to ensure there was something for all ages – from simple lanterns for small children to more complicated stars and butterflies. The lanterns (and lantern makers) joined the giant puppets and the co-op band for a romp around the Piazza after sundown.
Brisbane Festival
July 31st, 2006
Co-op puppeteers and members of the Bracken Ridge community joined together for ‘A Bird’s Eye View’. Puppeteers and musicians told the story of Bracken Ridge’s history through the eyes of the Jabiru.
July 31st, 2006
Co-op puppeteers and members of the Bracken Ridge community joined together for ‘A Bird’s Eye View’. Puppeteers and musicians told the story of Bracken Ridge’s history through the eyes of the Jabiru.
Woodford Folk Festival
January 2nd, 2006
2005-2006
The giant puppets were in the thick of it daily at Woodford with the giant snake and community spirit puppets, along with the co-op band, delighting festival goers daily.
The puppets wowed a crowd of thousands as they lead the street parade into the Festival of Light event.
January 2nd, 2006
2005-2006
The giant puppets were in the thick of it daily at Woodford with the giant snake and community spirit puppets, along with the co-op band, delighting festival goers daily.
The puppets wowed a crowd of thousands as they lead the street parade into the Festival of Light event.
Mountain Puppet Pagent
May 31st, 2004
The begining of it all the first spirit puppets….
May 31st, 2004
The begining of it all the first spirit puppets….
