Maihaugen's Christmas tree 2019

Julie Skarland has filled the Christmas tree with textile figures and paper stars. The artist calls the characters Angelines.

Angeline is a hybrid of female body and velvet ant. Skarland was inspired by the real species of velvet ant found in South America. The figure has the head of a red velvet ant and the body of a human.

Every year since 2008, a Norwegian artist or designer has has been challenged to decorate the tree with their own design, to give it a unique expression.

Read more and get an overview of former artists

Fashion designer in Paris

Julie Skarland went to Paris in the 1980s to study fashion design. There she established her own clothing brand and shop, and had great success with her collections.

After 20 years she moved to India, where she stayed for 10 years. Her work went more towards off couture, embroidery, weaving, photo and video.

She now lives and works in Oslo.

Distinctive expression

Julie Skarland is now living and working in Oslo. Her work is characterized by international impulses facing the Norwegian, and her distinctive expression is recognized in everything she does, also in the creation of the Christmas tree decoration.

Skarland has made 51 small Angeline figures for this year's Christmas tree. All of them unique and made by hand from textiles from her previous collections. A large Angeline figure stands next to the Christmas tree.

Along with the Angelines are stars with pearls made from labels from Skarland's clothing brand Princess Factory.

The tree is up until 13 January 2020. After that, the decoration is put up for sale in Maihaugen's museum shop.

More exhibitions at Maihaugen.

Maihaugen's Christmas tree 2019 decorated by Julie Skarland. Photo: Camilla Damgård / Maihaugen