Growing Power Urban Farm & NCECA

March 2014

This month was busy with a little more time away from my studio then I would like. But I did have a wonderful visit with my family pre-NCECA. My parents came over from Michigan and we visited my grandma and cousins, if felt like a family reunion! My parents were kind enough to bring me into Milwaukee for a whole day driving me around town to art shows, lunch at the Comet Cafe a triple D, and a visit to a well known urban farm Growing Power. I think my parents had enough NCECA to last for a while now but it was fun enjoying the art with them!

I was visiting Milwaukee for a ceramics conference but I knew I could not miss the opportunity to tour Growing Power urban farm. It is a nonprofit farm, started by Will Allen, focused on brining healthy sustainable food at affordable prices to the community. The organization is a complex system including large scale growing, composting, farmers markets, community gardens, and school projects. I was able to tour the original greenhouse complex- goats and all! They have sprouts, aquaponics systems, mushrooms, goats, chickens, you name it they probably have it. The tour included a very simple overview of the organization and unfortunately I did not get to meet the founder, Will Allen. It is evident that Growing Power has done an amazing things for the local community, located in a food dessert, outside of GP even today there is no sign of fresh food for miles. I was thankful for this experience and I hope to return someday soon to take one of the intensive workshops.

Below are photos from NCECA the national ceramics conference. Forrest had an interactive piece in the NCECA Student Juried Exhibition! Being married you would think I would play has games often but since we do not live together it is a rare occasion that I get to interact with one of his pieces. When I was ready I took the ball from the rack and I instantly panicked I felt like I could not do it. It was the weirdest feeling before picking it up I was confident that I would make it in the basket and take the ball home with me. Once I touched the ball I lost it - I was so scared to break it I almost talked myself out of playing. I did finally play and SMASH there went the beautiful orange ball. Then my mom played and that was the real entertainment. She went through a very similar feeling but with a little more emotion as she tried a few times and it did not break (because of the carpet) and then she got it in! I can assure you she was the most excited person in the gallery that evening, I guess I know where I get it from!