Thursday, September 9, 2010

New Horizons - Restoration Rather than Remediation

Well, it's almost a month since I last posted and some of you may have thought that I'd flown the coop. Or perhaps that this project might never get off the ground. But there's been a relocation process happening and it's been in the works these many weeks. I still can't divulge where the project is going to go, because it is not yet a signed deal, but the project is definitely leaving the Beall because the owners aren't on board. In defense of their reluctance to take the project on, readers should know that they weren't the people who okay-ed the proposal at the beginning. The folks who gave me the go-ahead in 2009 moved away this past May and when the old owners of the Beall returned they were surprised by my announcement that I just received funding to do an eco-art project on THEIR land. It is not public land, although many tenants have been artists, and have had open studios, workshops and events there. So, when I realized that things were not flowing in the way that I had imagined, I started looking around for a public site that might be enthusiastic about an eco-art project. And I believe that I have found one.

I have to redesign the proposal for the new site that includes an overgrown orchard (impassable at the moment due to the blackberry vines and Scotch Broom). There is still space for the altars to seeds that will include stories of local farmers and gardeners. There will be benches for meditation, walkways, and lots of permaculture design with native plants. The orchard, once open, will be available to the community for gleaning and for cultural events in good weather. I will have to apply for more monies to create a fence and gate, and the site is huge (over 2 acres)so we may need more time as well as funding, but it is very accessible to the public, and the committee in charge of it seems very interested. AND I AM EXCITED!!!!!

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