Tuesday, February 10, 2009

A New Addition at Kanapaha
After securing a site and having my idea approved, the Kanapaha Gopher Tortoise project is a go! The larger than life sculpture will be a part of Kanapaha's Childrens Garden- a perfect fit.

I'll be blogging about my progress all along the way- from conception to construction. The thing I'm most jazzed about is including hands on educational children's workshops in the process. I just LOVE community generated art!

Our tortoise will live in the grassy area to the right of this photo.


Another feature of the Children's Garden- The Texture Wall

Many folks have already put in work on the children's area, which features a multimedia Texture Wall. Kids can play I Spy for hours on this 100 ft long wall filled with multimedia mosaic items.

Currently under construction is an interactive pond where children will be able to feed fish and turtles. Other plans include a teaching garden and vegetable garden as well as a central pagoda for parents to relax while they watch their children play.

It's exciting to watch the area come to life, as so many other parts of the Gardens have over the years. Kanapaha has always operated based on grassroots efforts and help from volunteers, and it's amazing how much those folks get done!

The tortoise will certainly also be a product of community effort. Let me know if you would like in on the fun! Check back often or subscribe for updates. Email me with any ideas for fundraising, workshops, materials, etc. I'd love to hear from you!