wool gardens for artsparks
Residency at Panther Valley High School. Jim Thorpe, PA
In 2019 I was selected to be the resident artist for the PA Turnpike Associations public art initiative, ArtSparks. Their goal is to have community created public art installed in every one of Pennsylvania’s service centers. I was chosen to lead the project for the Pocono areas Hickory Run Service Center. The installation is comprised of four hanging wool gardens that were made with the students at Panther Valley High School in the fall of 2019. I spent 6 weeks working with seventh through twelfth grade art students and their wonderful teacher Kim Gallagher to create the multitude of felted leaves, rocks and vines as well as laser cut ornaments that make up the lively color and texture of these gardens. The installation represents the beauty and importance of the outdoors and the environment to the Jim Thorpe area where the school is located. The outdoors play a large part in that community, from tourism to recreation to shared loves and pastimes. The gardens represent the community, the beauty that results from everyone working together equally to create a small part of the larger vision. The laser cut ornaments were the students chance to add their own personal touches to the garden, creating symbols that represent what they love about Jim Thorpe and what their community means to them.
The gardens are currently installed and are a permanent installation at the Hickory Run Service center in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.
This residency was made possible by the PA Turnpike and the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts