MIDDLETOWN
Community sculpture making honors the resilience of nature at Middletown’s Trailside Park
The Middletown Art Center is excited to extend a heartfelt invitation to the community to join us in a transformative art project. Titled Ouroboros, the project aims to unite residents in creating a new sculpture for the EcoArts Sculpture Walk at Trailside Park. The sculpture symbolizes the cycle of life and the remarkable resilience of nature after the fire. The piece is a component of the MAC’s ongoing RECIPROCITY project, which utilizes art to foster community and provide healing to both individuals and the environment.
Join sculptural artist Laura Kennedy this Saturday and/or Sunday, May 11th & 12th from 9am-12pm at Trailside Park as she facilitates the creation of the Ouroboros sculpture. The Ouroboros, a representation of a snake eating its own tail, is a reference to an ancient and multicultural symbol of life cycles, death, rebirth, and regeneration.
“The Ouroboros snake is an unending figure; with no beginning and no end. It is usually seen in a circular or figure-eight form,” explained artist Laura Kennedy. “Our sculpture will be created from respectfully harvested and gathered oak within the park, which supports the healthy growth of post fire trees and will create habitat.”
All ages and abilities are welcome, and prior experience is not necessary.
Following twelve years of annual, temporary exhibits, the 13th annual sculpture walk was destroyed in the 2015 Valley Fire. Tens of thousands of trees and shrubs were removed from the park. In 2019 EcoArts reopened in a fire damaged venue with half the number of artists. COVID, combined with park conditions, discouraged artist participation.
The RECIPROCITY project is revitalizing the EcoArts Sculpture Walk by supporting the co-creation of new sculptures, facilitated by numerous local artists.
“In creating together we can shift our relationships with one another, and embrace the diversity of people, cultures and micro-cultures in our community, as well as diverse artistic expressions,” said MAC Executive Director, Lisa Kaplan.
RECIPROCITY is made possible with support from a grant from the Upstate California Creative Corps and the California Arts Council.
Those interested in participating will meet at 9am at Trailside Park 21435 Dry Creek Cut Off, Middletown Saturday and/or Sunday. Please bring gloves, clippers, sensible shoes, sun protection, and water (gloves are available).
An RSVP is requested to stay in touch in case of weather or other changes. To learn more about the RECIPROCITY project and RSVP for one or both sessions this weekend, please visit middletownartcenter.org/reciprocity.
Middletown Art Center is a Lake County non-profit dedicated to engaging the public in art making, art education, and art appreciation. Through exhibitions, performances, workshops, and community events, the Art Center provides a platform for diverse voices and perspectives, striving to create an inclusive and accessible space for all.
To learn more and donate to support this or other MAC arts and cultural programs visit middletownartcenter.org. For inquiries or further information, please contact the Middletown Art Center at 707-355-4465 or email info@middletownartcenter.org. The MAC is located at 21456 State Hwy 175 in Middletown.
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ROSEVILLE
Burn demonstration shows effectiveness of wildfire mitigation
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), in collaboration with CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal, showed the effectiveness of research-based wildfire mitigation during a live burn demonstration conducted as part of Wildfire Preparedness Week. Based on the latest research, IBHS’s Wildfire Prepared Home program provides a system of actions Californians can take to meaningfully reduce their home’s chance of ignition from embers, including creating defensible space.
The demonstration highlighted the importance of maintaining a noncombustible five-foot buffer zone, termed “Zone 0” around residential structures to mitigate the risk of ignition during wildfires.
Demonstrations of this nature provide a comparative analysis of the impact of fire behavior on structures with and without mitigation measures in place and underscore the critical role of Zone 0 in preventing home ignitions, emphasizing the need for timely action given the approaching peak wildfire season.
State Fire Marshal, Chief Daniel Berlant, further emphasized how this demonstration should encourage Californians to take steps to harden their homes and create defensible space around their property.
“Although California received a substantial amount of rain this past winter, we must prepare ourselves for peak wildfire season now as the grass is already growing tall across the state. This demonstration showed how vulnerable a home can be and how much of a difference taking steps to prepare for wildfire can make,” urged State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant. “Now is the time to prepare your home for peak wildfire season.”
For more information on the importance of home hardening and defensible space, as well as the measures you can take to prepare your family and property for wildfires, visit readyforwildfire.org.
To learn more about Wildfire Prepared Home, visit www.wildfireprepared.org. View and download photos of the demonstration burn at: https://calfire.box.com/s/2t4a0o59may43be1amphttlihh8zf996.
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