Creating a third space for connection
In a world often characterised by fast-paced living and digital distraction, the need for meaningful connection — with each other, with place, and with the natural world — has become essential. Treecreate Studio Inc. (TSI) offers a space where that connection can grow.
Co-founded by artist, researcher, and systems thinker Dr Tracey M Benson and cartographer and spatial scientist Martin Drury, TSI is far more than an design studio — it’s a creative ecosystem which links culture, art, science and technology to explore relations to place. Through collaborative projects, workshops, and residencies, the studio cultivates new ways of thinking and making that honour the living systems we depend on. Each initiative begins with a simple yet powerful question: How can creativity help us live more harmoniously with our environment?
Art as ecology, and ecology as art
Tracey’s socially engaged practice has developed over decades of transdisciplinary exploration. Her work moves fluidly across art, science, and community engagement — from digital storytelling to hands-on environmental art. Central to her practice is a deep respect for the wisdom of place and the importance of relational ways of working. For over 16 years Martin has collaborated alongside Tracey on many projects in Australia and internationally as part of commissions and residencies.
Treecreate Studio’s flagship program, Weaving Water, embodies this approach. It brings artists, scientists, and community members together to explore water as a living system, teacher, and connector. The forthcoming Weaving Water @ Yarun 2025 will expand these conversations to include diverse voices from across the region and beyond, fostering creative collaborations that bridge art, science, and cultural knowledge.
Building community through creativity
Treecreate Studio’s ethos is deeply rooted in regeneration — of places, ideas, relationships, and ecosystems. The studio has become a regular ‘pop-up’ around the Bribie Island community, hosting creative workshops and collaborative projects with local partners such as the Pumicestone Indigenous Education and Employment Council and the Bribie Island Community Kindergarten.
These partnerships led projects encourage people of all ages to engage creatively with their local environment, learn through creative practice, and see themselves as active participants in caring for Country. Tracey’s approach is both scientific and poetic — blending observation and imagination, data and story, to inspire awareness and action.
Strengthening the bridge between art and science
In 2025, Tracey joined the management committee of the Australian Citizen Science Association (ACSA), extending her commitment to fostering collaboration between art, science, and community. Her involvement supports ACSA’s strategic, future-focused, and relational approach to building citizen science networks that are creative, inclusive, and grounded in care for Country.
This connection reflects the same values that underpin TSI: collaboration, knowledge sharing, and systems thinking as pathways to meaningful change.
Welcoming new leadership: Justin Fromm joins as Treasurer
Treecreate Studio is also delighted to welcome Justin Fromm as Treasurer. Based in Western Australia, Justin brings a wealth of experience from both government and industry across economic development, community engagement, and strategic management. His background includes senior roles with the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, the Pilbara and Peel Development Commissions, and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.
With his strong grounding in regional development, policy, and sustainability, Justin’s insights will help guide Treecreate’s growth and ensure sound governance as the organisation expands its national collaborations. His strategic and relational approach aligns closely with Treecreate’s vision — supporting a thriving network of creative practitioners working at the intersection of art, ecology, and community.
We would also like to thank our outgoing treasurer Afra Feeney – your contribution has been greatly appreciated.
A living practice
At its heart, Treecreate Studio offers an antidote to disconnection. It is a gathering ground — a place to slow down, listen deeply, and create with awareness. Each project, whether large or small, becomes an act of regeneration: restoring relationships between people and the natural world.
As Tracey reflects, “Art is not just about making things. It’s about making meaning — together. When we create with care and awareness, we begin to see the world, and each other, differently.”
Through Treecreate Studio, that philosophy continues to grow — one connection, one conversation, and one creative act at a time ❤
Treecreate 