Wild Art Walk – Call For Participants
The Wild Art Walk at the Milburn Creek Nature Reserve Trail is gearing up for its fourth month-long installation along the 3km trail that runs through the conservation area, between the Battersea Ball Park and the United Church.
There are a few ways to participate in the project. One is by experiencing it by walking the trail during the month of October, or by walking the short 500 metre walk during the Battersea Pumpkin Festival on October 3rd.
The project has another intention, aside from connecting the experience of viewing art, in nature. It was designed as a community-based art project and central to that concept is an open invitation to anyone who is inclined to participate, by creating an art piece to be included in the walk.
The art walk submission form outlines that idea.
“Participation is not juried and anyone is welcome to contribute. We welcome anyone with a creative idea, closet crafters and experienced artists alike. There is lots of room on the trail and we have not been full yet. The committee can refuse work we deem inappropriate, offensive, or may cause harm (ie, racist, homophobic or transphobic).”
In order to participate as a creator, the organising committee needs to receive a completed form by September 15. The forms are available online at the Wild Art Walk Facebook page, by email at [email protected], or through the QR code on this page.
There is also a Meet and Greet Trail Walk, an opportunity to meet other participating artists, and to choose spots for art on the trail. It will take place on September 20th, at 10:30am and people will meet at Battersea Ball Diamond and get started from there.
There will be a poetry bench as part of the Wild Art Walk, and poetry submissions can also be sent to [email protected]
The Wild Art Walk is supported by the Battersea Pumpkin Festival, Nature Conservancy of Canada, and this year, the Township of South Frontenac has contributed a community grant.
The South Frontenac money is being used for promotion, and for two new features of the Wild Art Walk, one focusing on creators, and one on those looking to experience the walk in a new way.
On September 19, at the United Church Hall in Battersea, artist Joanne Gervais will be leading community art workshops in two sessions, a morning session starting at 9:30am, and an afternoon session starting at 1:30pm. Participants will have the opportunity to create a piece of art which will become part of a communal piece to be displayed as part of the month-long exhibit.
A second new event takes place on October 25th in the evening, the date of the evening of the October full moon. This event will be a forest bathing event, hosted by Claire Beach of The Wild Edge. It will be a chance, if the weather cooperates, to see the exhibit by moonlight, as well as experiencing forest bathing.
The Art Walk runs for the month of October and is available at any time. There are maps at the trail entrance, on the opposite side of Battersea Road, from the ball park.
The trail itself, the fall colours and the October light, is a dominant feature of the Wild Art Walk. Having art pieces integrated into the trail provides a different perspective on what is already a constantly varying visual experience all year long.
