We caught up with Founder's Tree creator, Adriane Abbott, to learn more about this year's tree.
What is your connection to the Founder's Tree and/or Charles Keating?
I never had the pleasure of meeting Charles Keating, although he once offered to back a TV show about Studio Rally. It fell through for other reasons, but I was pleased that he would want to be involved. He is reported to have wanted to support the showcasing of Nova Scotia’s creative talent.
I met two of his children, Cathy and Susan years ago when I did other work for the Festival. And it is to that friendship that I owe this year’s opportunity to create the Founder’s tree.
How did you come up with the idea for this year's tree?
Well, it’s a hybrid of schooling, thoughts, techniques and emotions - that’s for sure.
I recently completed building a home on a piece of land that was devastated by Hurricane Juan. Outside my bedroom window is a birch tree. It is the funniest looking tree. It grew up among evergreens that are no longer there. It is a tall pole with a ball of gnarled activity at the very top as it was forced to stretch for sun. I admire its survival. I suppose I was inspired by it, and by the issues of mental health.
I will happily share that I originally closed Blanket Statements in part because of the toll that solitary work takes on the mind. Working completely alone for 15 years was both a blessing and a curse. In this way, I wanted my return to this kind of work to also reflect persistence. Additionally, I thought about the tree as metaphor, the tree of life, the family tree (much larger than blood lines), and the tree as a symbol of wisdom and strength.
The closest literal inspiration that I took is from a textile design by architect Josef Frank entitled vegetable tree circa 1943-44. I love the way his work is so completely fanciful. And if you imagine the time and place in which he worked, it is another story of persistence. His design shows a singularly joyful tree that bears multiple flowers, fruit and vegetable varieties and has many different shaped leaves. For me, it became important to add birds as well. I wanted voice and song to be invited to this particular celebration.
What should we know about the tree?
Well, I’m going to get ultra practical for a moment – a rare thing for me!
The blanket is 100% wool and the appliqué is cotton and silk. It can be very carefully hand washed (recommended for spot cleaning), or dry cleaned. It will cover a queen or double bed, with varying degrees of overhang. Folded, it will work well as a large couch throw. It can also be hung, much like a quilt. The weave is quite loose, which makes it surprisingly warm.
Tell us about the steps you took in making the tree.
The body of blanket is hand-woven. It is wider than my loom so it was made in three pieces and joined together. After it was pieced together it was put through a light wash to ‘full’ the blanket, making it softer and joining the weave to create a nice drape. It has corded edges with eight big floral tassels, two at each corner. The floral centres of each tassel are beaded. The appliqué is traditional with a lot of reverse appliqué detail. The vast majority of the work is hand-sewn.
I had fun making it. My thanks to the Keating Family for their faith in my ability to create it, and to whoever goes home with it, for your appreciation.