DRIVEN BY A VISION.
A field trip? 2 hours away? Sign me up! The Garden of Eden is a protected area with many art structures that have been restored. On September 26, the Art Club went to Lucas, KS, Grassroots Art Center and The Garden of Eden. To see what art people can make, with chewing gum, old paper, and other materials is
Many senior citizens tend to make art for the last 20-40 years of their life, and most don’t sell it, they just do it for fun. They are often driven by a vision, or a dream they may have had when they were younger, and created this art as a symbol of that vision or dream. While visiting, Valley Heights students found new inspiration for art that they may be doing in art classes. For reference, some people had made jewelry, and some students were inspired by this jewelry. Being able to experience new things opened up new ideas for some.
Next on the itinerary was the Bowl Plaza. People come from all over the United States to see the Bowl Plaza. There were glass bottles in the walls, broken glass on the front of it and seats at the front of them so people could sit and admire the artwork that went into the structure. The bathrooms themselves were pretty, but overall small. Everything in the bathroom matched the theme and art was portrayed in many different ways
Last on the itinerary was the Garden of Eden. It’s a home that looked like it was made out of wood on the outside, but was actually made out of the native limestone in the area. The person who created this home and the structures around it was S. P. Dinsmoor. The structures that he made were representing his political and religious beliefs. Many people during his lifetime strongly disagreed and told him to take it down, but he didn’t listen and they are still up today. In total, he had assembled 113 pounds of concrete with his assistant. Most structures there were also made out of limestone. The limestone was special because of the brown streak in the middle of it.
Dinsmoor was previously married. When his wife died she was buried on his land, where he also lay at rest. He is still viewable to this day because he has a window that allows you to look into his coffin. This trip was an inspirational experience for the art student and allowed them to explore many new opportunities for art and creativity.
Article by: Jamie Thorn