ART

ART

in the

PARK

PARK

2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

Art in the Park 2006 - RiverWise Park

Completed Labyrinth

The rich natural history of the Greenbrier River Watershed is the inspiration for this unique community built labyrinth. The river is represented twice in the 1/10 mile walking path. The central path shows the whole beautiful ribbon of the entire river and each path section represents a portion.

Hundreds of folks pitched in to create the park area, led by Art in the Park, and dedicated in August 2006. The Greenbrier River is an essential part of our community life, it enriches and inspires us. RiverWise Park is an appreciation, a prayer, a poem to the river. We invite you to explore.

Breaking News

July 10th, 2006. The decoration of the path is complete except for one small section left to recognize those people who participate in the rest of the project and who have not already been recognized. We are now beginning the process of filling the spaces between the paths with soil and planting native beds. Please join us any Wednesday or Thursday from 4 to 8 pm until the conclusion of the project. We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday, July 27th for the International Block Party and dedication of the completed project.

On June 1st, 2006, the last of the forms were poured, marking the end of the less creative and more technical part of the project. Now begins the much more creative part of decorating the labyrinth. We are looking forward to working with everyone who comes out to participate. We need many hands and minds. We currently have one small section of the path completed.


Pictures courtesy Ellen Broudy

A special impromptu event took place at the Caldwell Boat Launch on Monday, May 15, when Karnang Yangtul Rinpoche blessed the site of RiverWise Park. The religious leader and two student monks chanted traditional Tibetian Buddhist blessings and broadcast flower seeds and rice during the ceremony attended by fifteen local folks. The Rinpoche heads a 400 monk monastery in Karnang, in remote eastern Tibet, China. After the ceremony, a discussion regarding commonalities of Greenbrier County and the Karnang region centered around the principle of becoming sister cities. Tibetan Buddhism is the religion of the Dalai Lama.

This picture shows Rinpoche Karnang Yangtul sharing a moment with young local resident Darcy Faber, Art in the Park Director Jessica Levine, right, and several onlookers at the Caldwell Boat Launch - RiverWise Park site.

Click here to learn more about the Karnang monastery.


Come help build RiverWise Park!

April 29th - the labyrinth layout is painted in

Building the forms

May 15th - sections of the labyrinth have been poured

Labyrinth Map

This year, Art in the Park invites you to participate in a large-scale project at the North Caldwell Boat Launch. During open studio sessions in May, and June, we will construct a labyrinth inspired by the Greenbrier River, including a children's play area, benches, educational signage, and native plant beds.

Come to one or every "build-a-park" session. Activities are free and open to all. (Children 8 years and under need to bring an adult.)

We will take on many adventures to create our park. We'll build a labyrinth path by mixing and pouring cement, then, etching names and images into it. We'll also be planting grass, native plants, and trees and creating a play area!

On each build-a-park day, we'll be doing something different. Come and see what what's going on and how you can help. Please wear old clothes, art is fun and often messy, too!

Plan to join us. Mark your calendar for the build-a-park dates.
Weds & Thurs 1:00-7:00pm Sat 1:00-4:00pm
May 3 4 6
10 11 13
17 18 20
24 25 27
31    
June   1 3
7 8 10
14 15 17
21 22 24
28 29

You can take a leadership role in bringing a unique project to life, and be integral in a legacy project that will benefit young people and the community for future generations.

Contribution In return, you'll earn our sincere appreciation and...

Please make checks payable to:
Art in the Park
Box 1601
Lewisburg, WV 24901

Please include your name exactly as you would like it to appear in your recognition and a phone number or email address so we can get in touch with you.
$25-75 Be named in the path as a Friend of the Labyrinth
$75-$149 Have your name or message etched on a brick sized section of the Labyrinth and get a Tee-Shirt.
$150-$250 Have your name or message etched on a brick sized section of the Labyrinth and get a special Labyrinth paver for your garden.
$251-$499 Multiple brick sized sections to inscribe with names or messages and multiple garden pavers.
$500-$999 2 ft x 2 ft Labyrinth section * OR Installation element: Native tree **
$1,000-$2,499 2 ft x 4 ft Labyrinth section * OR Installation element: Climbing rock **
$2,500-$4,999 2 ft x 6 ft Labyrinth section * OR Installation element: Play area or Bench **
* Section includes your name, a nature print, and your choice of inspiring message.
** Installation element includes a donor plaque at the site. For donations of $500.00 and above, an Art in the Park representative will contact you to assist in the design of your recognition.



Snow Labyrinth, Dorie Miller Park, 2005

LABYRINTH paths date back to ancient times and are found in diverse cultures. In ancient Greece, the labyrinth is thought to have represented the rebirth of spring. Mediaeval Christians incorporated labyrinths in cathedrals as a symbolic participation in the Crusades. In recent years a renewed interest has created labyrinths in public, private and wild places around the world. A labyrinth can be a tool for contemplation, connecting us with the varied and rich cultures of our pasts.


Grass Labyrinth, Lewisburg, 2004

WATER Biologist Jean Dorst writes, "We need all the plants and animals, all have sprung forth from water, the life-blood of the earth. Every living creature, animal and plant, is a form of water We need water not only to live, but to dream." Clean water is vital to our community. This project integrates watershed-centered education in innovative ways.


Project goals for this community art-based sculptural installation, led by community artists Jessica Levine and Caroline Smith, include:

This project is made possible by the generous support of the West Virginia Legislative Budget Digest, Lewisburg Parks Commission, Lewisburg City Council, Lewisburg Department of Public Works, and many local individuals. Past projects have had support from WV Commission on the Arts, WV Parkways Commission, Greenbrier County Commission and numerous local donors including Levine Family Foundation, The Retreat, Greenbrier Sporting Club, and Carnegie Hall. Most of our support comes from our local community. We salute all our past supporters and participants in four years of community art activities. Big thanks to all!

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Contact us at: ArtInThePark@dottywood.org