Art for all seasons

For some students, a day off from school means hours spent indoors watching television or on the computer. But on Thursday, Jessie Wiest, 9, spent her free day out in the crisp fall air, helping to create a piece of art that will have a place in downtown Bend for years to come.

“It’s cool that our work will be over there,” said Jessie, pointing to the vacant lot where the mural will be displayed. “I’m excited to see it when it’s finished.”

Jessie and several other members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Oregon spent much of their afternoon Thursday working on a mural that will be displayed in The Environmental Center’s new Kansas Avenue Learning Garden in downtown Bend. Out of school because of parent-teacher conferences, club members made drawings that will be displayed in the garden.

“It’s important that kids participate in building the garden so that they feel like they have ownership of it,” said Denise Rowcroft, sustainability educator for The Environmental Center. “We’re trying to get them involved in all aspects of the garden, from building fences, to showing them where food comes from — to teaching them about the health of the environment.”

The center has had several groups, including students from Amity Creek Elementary School, help construct the garden since work began on it last month.

Though nothing will bloom for several months, the building of the garden is well under way.

“We had students out here with power tools last week,” said Marissa Madej, an intern with the Environmental Center who is working on the learning garden project.

Madej said the garden is a key building block for children to learn about sustainability.

“It’s a really good idea to have kids out here learning about how to grow food,” Madej said. “It’s something tangible that they can apply to their lives.”

On Thursday, members of the Boys & Girls Club walked over from the Bend club building, just across the street from the community garden downtown.

About 15 members of the club worked on livening up strips of sheet metal with images related to the four seasons, displaying their own unique takes on spring, summer, fall and winter on the mural, which will be attached to garden beds.

“During summer, my mom and dad and I plant things in the backyard,” said Erin Conrad, 8, who was drawing flowers.

Erin said she hopes to return to the community garden in the spring and summer when the mural is finished and plants are in bloom.
“I like seeing all of our ideas on the boards,” she said.
Hannah Armer, 9, said expressing her artistic side was the best part of the project.

“I like coming here and drawing,” said Hannah, who was working on a grinning jack-o’-lantern for the mural’s autumn section. “Art is really fun to do.”

Jacob Kuehne, 10, worked on a section of the board dedicated to summer, adding in some elements unique to Central Oregon.

“Fire was the only thing that I really wanted to draw,” said Jacob, dragging his pencil to form licks of flames. “It sounded fun.”

Included in Jacob’s snapshot of summer was a helicopter carrying a bucket of water, ready to douse the wildfire.

Jacob said he once planted mangoes and carrots in his backyard, though they didn’t thrive.

“It was because I forgot to water them,” said Jacob, smiling sheepishly. Despite the failed plants, Jacob says he wants to help grow things in the community garden in the spring.

The art session on Monday ended after students finished drawing the base of what would become the mural. Another session of mural work was to be held Friday, with children from the club coming to fill in the drawings with paint.

“Five years from now, she’ll be able to see the garden and mural, and say that she was here from step one,” said Rowcroft, pointing to one of the students. “It really gives kids a sense of place to be a part of this.”

Megan Kehoe can be reached at 541-383-0354 or at mkehoe@bendbulletin.com.