Tree of Wonder 2.0
A Neon Revival
Every so often, a piece of art calls you back… asking to be reborn, reimagined and seen in a new light. For me, that piece was the Tree of Wonder, my first large-scale installation and the spark that ignited my journey into immersive art.
Two years after its debut at Blossom Festival in 2022, the tree took root again; this time at Blazing Swan 2024, rising from the desert dust in a completely new form. I wanted to honour its original heart while letting it evolve, growing wilder, brighter and infused with the festival’s Neon Caravan theme.
The Concept: Growing Into Something New
When I first built the Tree of Wonder in 2022, it symbolised curiosity and connection. A gathering place where people could rest, play, and reconnect with their sense of awe. For its return at Blazing Swan, I wanted to expand on that idea.
This time, the Tree of Wonder 2.0 became a symbol of transformation and a reminder that creativity, like nature, is cyclical. It sheds, regrows and glows differently each time. The new version invited blazers to step out of the chaos and into colour, to find stillness under its luminous canopy.
The Rebuild: From Roots to Neon Revival
The 2024 version was built on the same foundational frame as the original and a sentimental core that carried its past life, but everything else was reinvented. I rebuilt the structure using PVC piping, plaster, and layers of paint, sculpting each branch by hand to give the illusion of organic growth with a futuristic twist.
The branches were textured and painted in bright earthy tones, and highlighted with neon strips of pink and blue lights; glowing softly by day and radiating colour at night. Built into the tree’s trunk was a park bench, a small human touch nestled within the sculpture. It invited people to pause beneath the glowing canopy, to sit, breathe and look up into the layers of colour and light above. It became a resting spot, a photo nook and a quiet pocket of calm amid the vibrant energy of Blazing Swan.
To bring the festival’s Neon Caravan theme to life, I added a touch of whimsy: tiny fairies, glimmers of glitter and glowing accents tucked into the tree’s branches and roots. At night, the entire piece transformed, illuminated by UV and soft ambient lighting, creating the feeling of stepping into a glowing dream.
The Experience: A Place to Sit, Dream, and Glow
During the festival, the Tree of Wonder 2.0 became a beacon of colour and calm. People gathered under its branches to escape the sun, share a drink, or just sit in quiet company. Some danced beneath the glow, others deep in conversation as they sat on the bench and a few even left small offerings of crystals, notes, or trinkets tucked into its base.
It became more than an artwork; it was a meeting point, a sanctuary and a story in motion. Every night it glowed differently, shifting hues with the desert light, responding to the people around it like a living thing.
The Takeaway: Wonder Evolves
The Tree of Wonder will always be special to me, not just because it started my journey into immersive design, but because it continues to grow alongside me.
Version 2.0 reminded me that art doesn’t have to be static. It can evolve, adapt and respond to the energy of the moment. At Blazing Swan, it wasn’t just a sculpture; it was a space for connection and a little piece of wonder glowing under the stars.
