On Friday evening of the recent Olympia Fall Arts Walk, visitors to Arbutus Folk School were welcomed to engage in several participatory arts/crafts activities. I had prepared a small-scale project that would be easy to complete in only a few hours, and it worked out perfectly! People moved through at just the right pace, and we completed the design with about an hour to spare.
Later in the weekend, I poured concrete into the form, and after waiting about 5 days, John from Monarch came over and we flipped the bench to reveal the design. It is now at Monarch Sculpture Park, where it will be placed on concrete supports within the butterfly maze.
If you haven’t been to Monarch Sculpture Park, it is worth a visit. It’s right on the Chehalis Western Trail. There is no official public parking, so if you need to drive, it might be best to make an appointment, but you can also park your car up the trail and walk a short way to the park entrance. Many people are not aware that the park has re-opened to the public. John and Ashlea have been working on the property to revive it, and if you visit, you will see that it’s worth the effort. The property is lovely, there is a gallery of great work that needs to be re-opened, and really ideal space for art workshops, once things are up to speed. The butterfly maze is in progress, and will be a beautiful, serene place to unwind and re-center. Monarch needs financial support and volunteers as they work toward becoming a vital local landmark again.
