An Easter Egg Hunt

This weekend a very special Easter Egg Hunt is happening at R Park hosted by the Jackson Hole Land Trust.

Visit R Park between April 2nd - 5th and you will find art installations created by 4 local artists. Within each a letter has been hidden and will spell out a word that unlocks a trunk full of Easter Eggs.

I’m super excited to be part of this project, and while my art is not specifically egg themed, you will still have to hunt for it.

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I started out making several small elements: unfired porcelain mushrooms, tiny flowers, plus strands of fabric circles strung with buttons. My vague idea before installation day was mostly formed by the shadows cast on the white on white snowy landscape.

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Installation day was a beautiful clear yet cold day, I tucked mushrooms and tiny flowers into the leaves, snow, and dirt below a grove of trees.

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After spending a lot of time walking around and looking at this spot, strands of fabric were hung in an arch over the grove of mushrooms. Laying on the warm ground and looking up was the best view! The fabric seemed to mimic the fluffy clouds above.

This was hard to photograph, so if you are in the area I hope you stop by to find all the details.

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Happy spring!

I’m sure we will have many more chilly days in Wyoming over the next few months, but spring is finally here!

FoundSpace

For the past few years I’ve been a participant in FoundSpace - a public art initiative co-sponsored by the JH Land Trust and JH Public Art. This project invites artists to interact and activate public land, you can check out my projects from 2017 and 2018, each a collaboration with writer Matt Daly.

I thought it would be fun to check in on what is happening this year for FoundSpace at Rendezvous Park (or R Park)

After citing strange noises and sightings in the park, the staff of R Park brought in Observator R. Park to investigate.

Not much is known about Observator, however, their passion for discovery and documentation is apparent. Observator seems perfect for the job of discovering the secret lives of the imaginary creatures that call R Park home.

In order to aid in the task of documentation, Observator has set up a field station at the entrance to the park and is inviting visitors to help discover and catalogue the mysterious creatures inhabiting the park.

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From the sounds of it, this field station will be at R Park all summer - so if you are in the area, check it out. Be sure to take a look at the field guide, located in one of the lockers, as it contains all notes and descriptions of creatures found so far in the park.

This Friday the 21st is a Solstice Celebration at R Park, this event will be from 5-8pm. I’m sure Observator will be eager to share some of their discoveries and will also recruit explorers to help throughout what looks to be a busy summer.

Observator R. Park seems to be easier to find online than in person - though, they are often at R Park studying specimens - the discoveries can be followed on Facebook and Instagram at @rparkobservator and also YouTube

Or send Observator an email with questions or information / images / video of your own discoveries in R Park: rparkobservator@gmail.com

Here are short videos of 2 creatures that have been found so far, I grabbed these off Observator’s YouTube channel - since they are busy out in the field I thought I’d help get the word out:

FoundSpace 2016

This week I had an incredible experience while working with the FoundSpace project at Rendezvous Park. Partnering with the JH Land Trust, FoundSpace connects people with land through art and conservation, ultimately educating the public about open spaces in the Jackson Hole area. 

This year my role as an Assistant Gardener meant that I helped artists install multiple sculptures that interact with the R Park space. 

Installations include a Pond Flute by Bland Hoke, a Ring of Fire installed by Ben Roth designed to encourage a refreshing jump off a bridge into a pond. A mobile art studio became a place to create nests as well as Leaf and Secret Message Poems with Matt Daly as well as an Uncommon Garden that encourages the use of all senses by Bronwyn Minton.

In the mobile art studio participants were also encouraged to make pirate ships that contained treasure maps. The ships were let loose into the stream or pond. In order to help find out where treasure might be found in the park, I made a few wacky, awkward nets that could be used to fish out a ship so the map could be read.

There is much more happening within this space. While best experienced in person, you can find some great videos here.

The best part is that the artworks will remain in the park until September, so you can visit and interact with R Park through the eyes of artists all summer!

Now I have a year to think about this experience and prepare for next year. I'm thinking a lot about how I interact with open spaces and also how I can encourage participants to discover these special places.

Standing in a grove with a poem that can be read in any order:

Me (wearing part of the poem) Bronwyn Minton, Matt Daly