Festival of Trees lighting up Tulsa’s Philbrook
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Tulsa event raises funds for museum
TULSA – From a festively adorned papier-mache cactus to an evergreen made of cowboy boots, Tulsa area artists have put their own creative spin on the theme “A Southwest Holiday” at this year’s Festival of Trees.
Festival of Trees is an annual holiday fundraiser for the Philbrook Museum of Art. The show’s highlights are unusual Christmas trees created by area artists and designers and elaborate gingerbread houses made by local schoolchildren and Scout troops.
The event also includes a juried show of paintings, sculptures, woodwork and more by 150 northeast Oklahoma artists. The artworks, trees and candy creations all incorporate this year’s Southwest theme.
Many participants go to inventive lengths to give their works a Southwest flair, such as adorning a handcrafted gingerbread doll with beadwork or making a teepee-shaped “tree” out of leather circles.
The creativity extends to the intricate gingerbread houses, many of which aren’t houses at all. This year’s entries include a pueblo built of caramels and a large cactus made of spearmint discs.
Everything in the show is for sale, with the bulk of the proceeds going to the Philbrook. Festival of Trees continues through Dec. 7.
“The evolution of Festival of Trees as one of the region’s premier holiday traditions is a point of pride for the Museum. We’re delighted that families have continued to support this event for 24 years running,” said Philbrook Director Randall Suffolk in an e-mail.
On exhibit
What: Festival of Trees fundraising show and sale.
Where: Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S Rockford Rd., Tulsa.
When: Through Dec. 7.
Information: (918) 749-7941 or www.philbrook.org.
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The festival of trees ends Dec 7th.
When does it begin?