Mayor Jim Newberry today announced 21 winners of the Department of Environmental Quality’s
2010 EcoArt Program, which is designed to encourage and support environmental art projects that creatively educate local citizens on environmental issues, environmental responsibilities and actions they can take to help Lexington become a sustainable community.
“We must, as a community, become more engaged in protecting our water, air and land,” said Newberry, who has said his administration’s top priority is improving the environment. “Investing in programs to educate our citizens about protecting the environment is critical to cleaning up our environment and to sustaining the high quality of life we enjoy in Lexington.” This is the first year for the program.
Working in partnership with LexArts, the city invited non-profit organizations, schools and local artists to apply for grants that will be used to create works in the fields of visual or performing arts. The EcoArt program asked applicants to engage elementary, middle and high school students, college students and the general public on actions they can take to positively affect the environment.
Jim Clark, President and CEO of LexArts, said a team of professional artists and representatives of the city’s Department of Environmental Quality reviewed the applications and selected winners.
Awards range between $1,000 and the maximum amount of $5,000. Winners will begin working on their projects as soon as possible, with a final project deadline of June 30, 2010. Final reports are due to LexArts by July 31, 2010.
Cheryl Taylor, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Quality, said the program is one of a number of ways the Department will work to educate citizens about environmental issues. “If we want to make real environmental improvements, we have to work together,” Taylor said.
Environmental Art Winners
Blake Eames Design – Blake Eames & Claudia Michler - $5000
- Made You Look!
- Break the chain of “I didn’t know” with our Storm and Sanitary Sewer Systems
- Storm drain art project to accompany the Storm Water Public Education Campaign
Bluegrass Homeschool Learning Cooperative – Wendi Womack - $3800
- Environmental curriculum on water quality and conservation, native plants and Eco Art
- Greenspace development to include bird and butterfly habitat, rain garden, food and herb garden and gutter-to-raised beds and rain barrels
- A resultant film will be showcased at multiple venues in the city
Chrysalis House – Lisa Minton - $1000
- Institute an environmental education component to the Children’s Program
- Kentucky Environmental Education Certification for instructor
- Educational materials and art supplies will be purchased to create a recycled mural
CitizensCREATE! – Kevin Sweeney - $2000
- Statues made of recycled plastic and furniture made of recycled plastic
- Exhibit showcased at 5th Annual Peace & Global Citizenship Fair
Repairers Lexington/East 7th Street Community Center – Jodie Koch - $5000
· Youth photojournalism project to raise awareness of litter and recycling in urban areas of downtown Lexington
- For each self-published book of photography sold, one will be donated to a school
Murray Dwertman (UK Alumni Artist) – $2000
- Artwork of miniature trees covered in Styrofoam packing peanuts showcased at downtown LexArts gallery
- Draw attention to the importance and vitality of the street tree as a critical part of the fabric and vibrancy of urban areas
Meadowthorpe Elementary – Brad Clark - $4400
- Fayette Mosaic: Students Striving Towards a Sustainable Community
- Students will learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle
- Variety of items, such as old toys, will be set into molds and mixed with concrete to form stepping stones that will be included in the Manchester Distillery District Development
Higdon-Strecker Studio – Ericka Strecker & Tony Higdon - $5000
- Art Components at the Children’s Garden
- Designing and building needed safety components for the opening of the Children’s Garden in the local Arboretum
- Incorporating actual children’s drawings into overall design for safety fixtures
Insightful Knitter – Jan Durham - $3545
- Wool In Kentucky
- Using a local renewable resource to produce an interactive, traveling educational display to promote sustainability
- The project will include activities and lesson plans with an art and science emphasis that can be incorporated in the classroom
Institute 193 – Robert Morgan - $5000
- 193 & Robert Morgan
- Funding specifically for design, printing and distribution of a book pertaining to Bob’s work and documentation of locally conducted educational workshops on recycling in art, culminating in an exhibition
Kentucky River Keepers – Pat Banks -$5000
- Shaped by Water
- LexArts gallery exhibit
- Receptions and several hands-on workshops for intermediate and middle school students including artist talks, storytelling and musical performances, all on the subject of water quality
Kentucky Young Writers Connection – Tom Leonard - $5000
- Poetry and Prose in the Park
- Focuses on the interplay and impact of human needs and the environment
- Special emphasis on how development first destroys, then recreates a pleasing landscape
Lafayette H.S. Orchestra – Jennifer Grice - $5000
- Environmental Concert
- Outdoor concert consisting of music that celebrates nature and raises awareness about local environmental concerns
- Since Earth Day is near the date, a T-Shirt design contest will be held and environmental organizations will be invited to set up tables and distribute info
Hui Chi Lee (UK Art Professor) - $2000
- Go Green, Be Clean
- Work of art evoking individual responsibility and green consumerism, while signifying the condition of our environment changing to a more clean state
Living Arts and Science Center – Heather Lyons - $5000
- The DaVinci Pavilion
- An interactive structure composed of 100% recycled materials incorporating hand-made, human powered, simple machinery and conservation efforts such as rain barrels, gardens and solar power
- Exhibitions, classes and workshops will be hosted to educate and engage the community
Mill Creek Elementary – Caryn Raskin - $4150
- Mill Creek Stream Project
- Kids to create signage for trees their classes planted during the ongoing restoration efforts
- Installation of stepping stones leading to a sundial and time capsule
- School-wide garden that each grade level will plant including various identifying markers
Providence Montessori – John Martin - $3,440
- Green Leaves
- Educating students of the importance of water conservation, water quality and storm water run-off management
- Students will collaborate with art teachers sculpting natural forms, which will be cast in a fountain on campus, representing the constant replenishing of the earth’s natural resources through the flow of water
Seedleaf – Ryan Koch & Luella Pavey - $4,956
- Teaching Posts Program
- Constructing creative and interactive form of signage to include in 5 of their local community gardens
- Involving 120 school-aged participants to gain exposure to basic carpentry skills and become familiar with different vegetables that are grown locally
Saints Peter & Paul Regional Catholic School – Nanci Barnhart & Beth Ettensohn - $4,000
- LexTree
- Educate the public on the identification and conservation of historic trees in downtown Lexington by publishing a LexTree Walking Brochure to be released next Arbor Day
- On that day, students will also perform a drama production in Gratz Park
- The students will also showcase an interactive exhibit of their own tree inspired mixed-media and photography at a local art gallery
Lexington Day Treatment Center – Sharla Buchanan - $3,500 (provided by Water Quality)
- The Recyclable Garden
- Constructing a rain garden at the center to educate the at-risk population it serves about conservation and giving back to the environment
- Will be maintained by the students, with supervision from the staff
Mary Queen of Holy Rosary – Cornelia Nash - $1000 (not full amount requested)
- Cafeteria Mural – A peaceful clean environment
- Students will paint a mural of nature and wildlife to promote and educate keeping the environment clean and healthy
* * *
AUDIO:
PHOTO CAPTION: Mayor Jim Newberry spoke at today's event. Jim Clark is at left of the mayor, Cheryl Taylor is at right.