10.9.19 Home Grove Growth

My "Home : Peace" community-engaged installation at Toucan Gallery continues to grow with additions by the Billings Public School's Quest Program's 4th, 5th, and 6th graders (with whom I spent a week discussing community-engaged and environmental art), attendees at the Billings Art Walk, attendees at my discussion about community-engaged art at Kirk's Grocery and preschool visitors from St. Luke's Enrichment Center (who field-tripped to the gallery). ! Here are some shots of the many responses to concepts of home, be it a physical space, loved ones, events, emotions . . . I love that I overheard comments about the painted cushion in front looking like the ripples in the river and the ovals on the wall as partially submerged river rocks!
"Home Grove" is a set of mixed-media sculptures designed to invoke thoughts of peace, comfort, rest and ease. Similar to my public art piece, Thicket, installed under the Sky Point in downtown Billings, these sculptures use the structure of groves of willows and red twig dogwood, which grow along our river and form protective spaces for insects and animals, as symbolic of how our community provides haven for our many and diverse citizens.