A Celebration of Art and Community
Burlington City & Lake Semester, in collaboration with Burlington muralist Mary Lacy (originally from Jericho), invited community members to enjoy the premiere of an original work of outdoor projection art at the Old North End Community Center in Burlington on December 12th.
The work celebrates, with striking and memorable visual images from each student, what our community needs to thrive,
a main theme that BCL students have been learning about and grappling with this fall. There was a presentation from students and Mary Lacy about the projection art and BCL experience.
This project is supported in part by the Vermont Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Burlington City Arts Community Fund.
Mary Lacy explained that she facilitated the students' artwork; the students themselves took responsibility not only for the choice of art genre - the projection, but also the logistics of advertising, soliciting food from local businesses, obtaining the appropriate electronics, and other technical aspects of the premiere.
Each of the participating students spoke to the audience about their role and answered questions about the class experience.
* See my open letter to Jericho VT residents near the bottom of this post.(Regarding what Jericho needs to thrive).
Open letter to Jericho VT residents:
Given likely changes in weather patterns, growing
challenges for all types of life, political upheaval, and our locally aging
population, how will we thrive in Jericho?
What construct can we create for resiliency and
sustainability so that we can continue to be happy, secure, and comfortable in
our town?
“How can we design new ways of living that are more nourishing,
fulfilling, ecologically sustainable, and socially just?” (From Transition US. Org.)
What defines community for you in Jericho? What do
you do that helps you feel you are a part of this social fabric – lend a hand
to a neighbor, volunteer for a town office or non-profit, carpool, share
vegetables from your garden….?
What more would you like to see and experience in
Jericho that you feel would help us become more resilient?
I think most of us want the community to be more than
just the place where we live with others, more than just our mailing address. We want a feeling of fellowship, friendship,
caring, and sharing neighbors, perhaps at least a subset of nearby folks that
have the same or similar interests, attitudes, and goals for family life. I at
least want a feeling of fellowship with others nearby.
However, I want more. I want (a few) individual relationships. I want folks outside my family and close friends who live nearby, who I can relate to, who I care about, who cares about me; whom I trust, and who trusts me. This includes people different from me, with interests, attitudes, and goals that provide diversity and even occasionally challenge my own. I wish for a circle of people with a broad range of perspectives.
From this trust and diversity, I strive for collaboration, common
support, in-depth conversation; opportunity for sharing, awareness of each
other when one needs help as well as when one is celebrating.
I want to be accepted, if not recognized for who I
am. I am not an extrovert; however, I do not want to feel lonely and I do want
to feel I belong to and contribute to neighbors and others in Jericho. I want
to look up to and learn from and collaborate with my peers in town. I want my
identity to be linked to Jericho.
I want to be hopeful about the role we each can take
to be a better neighbor to nature, both
native plants and wildlife – and find ways to contribute toward their success,
which in the end will facilitate our own survival.
The feeling of being socially connected in Jericho,
I think, is enhanced through opportunities offered by the library and library
events (like holiday tree lighting), Jericho Country Store (great takeout food and
sponsored events), Jericho Settlers Farm (Farm to Table), Emilie Gruppe Gallery
exhibits, Jericho natural areas – the green, pond, Mobbs Farm trails…. These all offer serendipitous encounters to
meet others, share experiences, and on occasion perhaps begin a
more personal relationship that blossoms. Also, there are opportunities to
connect with the Jericho natural ecosystems, landscape, plants, and wildlife.
For me, community means we take care of each other,
we trust each other, and we interact with each other. With this foundation, we
work together in small groups toward common goals. We laugh, dream, try, and
do good individually and with others in Jericho towards a caring, resilient,
and trusting community of people.
What does “community” mean to you? How can we foster
its growth, develop the meaning of community further?
I will always believe "Caring plus Contribution equals Community: genuine relationships, trust, place of belonging".
~Bernie
References & Resources:
- Tea With Strangers (Show up for tea time, have a real conversation-talk 2 hrs. about anything, that's it no strings attached.)
- Speak your piece: Times' rural economic analysis omits a wealth of options. By Roberto Gallardo
