Why yes it is. This cozy creation is a part of an art installation at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, and was a collaboration between artist Carol Hummel and local knitters. Together they created hundreds of colorful "lichens" patches that were woven about the tree to symbolize the interconnected nature of our human relationships and our dependence upon one another.
Carol Hummel is the pioneer of this knitted graffiti, but copycat artists have been springing up all over the country, leaving their mark on benches, trees, and chain link fences. Usually crafted in urban areas, these yarnbombings bring a certain softness to a sometimes colorless and harsh landscape.
If it is possible, this sweater wearing tree was made even more whimsical by the presence of many little lichen patches placed throughout the children's garden. At first, the colorful explosions tangled on trees and rails caught little more than an odd sideways glance from the kids. But the repetition soon became a game to see who could spy the next knitted treasure. Familiarity with the colors and patterns from the small lichens made the visit to the tree even more mesmerizing, as we tried to look from all angles at the comingling of the soft yarn and hard bark. Who knew knitting could be so cool?
~This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreamin at R We There Yet Mom
How crazy! I have never seen a tree sweater before. And I thought dogs in sweaters looked ridiculous… 😉
I've heard of this before! I think someone did it in Denver too.
I love the tree wearing a sweater!
That is awesome!! I love the colors on the tree – how great to see it in person- thanks for the backstory as well – you are always so great about that – one of the many reasons I LOVE your blog!!
Thanks for linking up!
~Becca
I LOVE this! If the sweaters don't do any damage to the trees, or stunt their growth, I think it should become a fad!
That is so cool!!!! I love finding random art like that in places you wouldn't expect! It's very Dr. Seuss! :o)
You make a good point about the fun in finding a random treasure such as this one. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois probably provides a lot of similar treats.
How the heck did that get that sweater on? Man that is cool. I'm assuming they stitched it in, but it sure is fun imagining someone talking the tree through it, "no, bend that branch, come on, pop your leaves through, wait, no not that way. OK, yes, one arm down!" Ha ha!
Wow! This is a first for me but I kinda like it! It looks really cool and colorful! I think it would be really hard for a tree to get a sweater on, wouldn't it? =)
visiting via Becca at R We There Yet.
Happy Friday!
So cute! They do this on some of the trees that line our downtown sidewalks each March here in Columbus, IN, as kind of a "warm up" to spring. Last year, it was all done by local elementary school kids. Such a fun idea for public art.
Very cool! I was also wondering how they dressed the trees and how they keep the sweaters looking so nice and new. Our weather would have those poor trees looking ratty and bedraggled in just a couple of days.
The art installation in Illinois is definitely creative. The additional patches in the children’s garden would make the scene more whimsical, just as you suppose.