'Art in the Meadow –
A Whispered Conversation with the Land'

BAINBRIDGE ARTIST'S GARDEN

An outdoor art installation at Blakely Harbor Park Bainbridge Island, Washington

June 29 – September 25, 2003
A non-revenue event

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The Art in the Meadow project was an exhibit of temporary artworks that engaged in a "conversation” with the nature and culture of this spectacular waterfront site that has important roots in Bainbridge Island history.

The Public Art committee of Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council invited the public to visit this temporary exhibition at Blakely Harbor Park, located at the intersection of Blakely Avenue NE and Country Club Road NE, between June 29 – September 25, 2003.

The artists created artwork that was a direct response to the site, engaging in a "conversation” with a specific location within the site, creating an experiential dynamic for the visitor. Therefore, the artworks were directly related to specific physical characteristics of the land, and were made as much as possible actually from or by manipulating what could be found on site, along with additional materials. The artworks were linked by an overall thematic approach, but were diverse in their final expressions

Carolyn Law, the curator, intended for visitors to be drawn through the site by a network of artwork; each piece was linked to the site and to each other, incrementally revealing the spirit and soul of Blakely Harbor Park. Though the work has been removed, the residual memories of the artworks, like whispers, remain.

The artworks evolved over the course of the show. Sometimes intentional change was built into a piece, altering normal changes during the course of the season and/or timeframe.

The show developed a synergy among the artists, between the artists and the land, among the group of artworks, and between the artworks and the land. Blakely Harbor Park is currently wild in appearance, with a meadow and wooded areas populated by a mix of native and non-native plants. Two streams run through it on the north and south edges, with the gorgeous Cascade Mountains and Seattle as backdrop.

It is also rich with history; the Suquamish tribe once used this site. It subsequently was the location of one of the largest lumber mills in the country and of shipbuilding activities. For a period of time, it supported a diverse community of about 2000 people. Currently, the site waits to be sensitively developed into a park that gives people access to the land and its past history.

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The Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council's Committee on Public Art sponsors public art installations on Bainbridge Island in accordance with designated agency responsibilities for the City of Bainbridge Island's 1% for Public Art Program (Chapter 3.80 BI Municipal Code and Ordinances 92-31 & 93-35).

The Committee is charged with reviewing municipal projects to determine which projects should include public art, recommending future projects that will enhance the Island's natural and built environment, and developing a long-range public art plan in accordance with the Cultural Element of the Bainbridge Island Comprehensive Plan.

Committee activities include site identification and project planning, artist selection and commissioning, project and funding administration, and maintenance of the public art collection.

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