original sketch for the Orchard Room

It’s been over two weeks since my last post. Last week I spent on Orcas Island with 100 8th graders at Camp Orkila. I spent my time congratulating, consoling, coercing, and  chaperoning a bunch of great kids. I also did some tie-dye with the kids and got in a good beach walk (photos to come).

My time before and since then has been working on the installation I’m doing for CoCA’s Heaven and Earth: Rootbound at Carkeek Park. I’ll be creating a “room” in an historic apple orchard by tying silk ribbon in and around trees. The Orchard Room will not only be a stand alone art piece, but also a performance space with performances scheduled throughout the four month installation. I’m working with Lara McIntosh, a dancer and teacher, as co-curator for the space. I’ve been taking class with Lara for almost 20 years and we have collaborated on several projects for the Fremont Arts Council. Lara will also be choreographing a site specific piece for the Orchard Room. She brings a wealth of knowledge and contacts within the music and dance worlds of Seattle to the project.

There has been a lot of coordination with the Parks Dept. and with the Piper’s Creek Orchard Volunteers to get the project approved. I have really appreciated David Francis at CoCA and his willingness to go to bat for this project. I think it’s going to be wonderful once we get past all the obstacles. I won’t go into all the details but, for now, we have a site and a plan for installation.

Today I dyed 42 yards of silk to turn into ribbon for the Orchard Room with my new intern, Vivian. I’m going to have two interns from the UW Fibers Dept. this Summer! Both Vivian and Mia have graduated and are doing the internships for experience rather than credit. I’m very happy to have the help. Today’s dyeing took about a third of the time it would have taken me by myself.

sample ribbon for the Orchard Room

today's dyeing