badges for brooke valley - small verses my heart keeps singing

The students of Brooke Valley School paid a visit to the fieldwork site at the end of June.  Later in July, I received a wonderful package in the mail: a booklet of pockets filled will thank you notes!  Each also included a drawing of what they would make a badge of.  Several times I thought "of course!" How could I have forgotten about climbing trees!  Or looking at the stars! 

It is interesting to see what aspect of their experience is valuable or important enough that they would make it into their badge.  Animals, flowers, soccer, friends; whatever it was that connects them to the world they live in. 

A big thank you to all the kids of Brooke Valley School, and to Coral Nault, their wonderful teacher. 
 
Many years ago when I went to the school, she was our art teacher.  I have much to thank her for - her inspiration and unflagging support have encouraged several crops of highly creative former students!

One of the biggest gifts from growing up in this community has been the creative engagement with the world around us, particularly with the beauty and wonders to be found in the land.  That is still very much with me, and forms the core of my art practice, wherever I go.

Finally! Uploading images from the opening on Sun June 20th.  It was so good to see many local residents come out - particularly as that was the audience I had in my head as I was making it.  As much as it was a piece about the landscape space of the field, it was also very much about a presence in the local social space.  The badges are disseminating through that ecology now, and like seeds of a slow plant, will continue to do so over the summer.   Thank you everyone for coming!