01/25/2012
BANG! -- Beautification, Art, & Neighborhood Growth in the Portland Neighborhood
From October 2011 Portland Anchor Neighborhood Paper submission:
"The BANG! Project has reached the end of the fall season and everything is up and growing with living perma-sculptures, birdhouses, awesome signs, rain barrels, and gardens that have added so much color to the neighborhood.
Over the summer, youth living in the Portland neighborhood created perma-culture inspired raised bed garden planters and sculptural installations that have been placed along the Portland Avenue corridor, between 15th and 22nd streets. The project was facilitated through a collaborative partnership between Center for Neighborhoods’ PAINT Program (artist and Portland Resident, Hallie Jones), the Louisville Visual Art Association’s Open Doors Program (artist and Portland Resident, Aron Conaway), the Portland Promise Center (Youth Development Coordinator, Angel Gustavison) and Grasshoppers Food Distribution Services (gardener Lindsey Ofcacek)—and was funded by the Cralle and Norton Foundations.
Judy Schroeder from the neighborhood association said about the project, “Portland Now, Inc. is very happy to say that a season of art on Portland Avenue has enlivened the experience of Portland Avenue with new neighborhood interest and eliminated the random dumping of trash, besides promoting urban gardening on city streets. We are very proud of the young artists and their sponsors.”
In the Spring the Portland Promise Center arranged for several groups of volunteers to clean up the north side of Portland Avenue between 18th and 22nd Streets in preparation for the project. In Summer, the Youth Group along with several kids from Parkway Place area worked at the Center’s warehouse to design thirteen artworks, and for 7 weeks built sculptures from reclaimed trash and junk found on the side of the roads. Finally the young artists all installed their own “No Dumping” signs and “perma-sculpture” creations to beautify the stretch of road that is often victim to year-round dumping. Next Spring these artful “perma-sculpture” raised beds and artful hanging pots will feature a new crop of edible, native plants, new worm composting bins, new bird houses to complete each habitat, and rain barrels that were donated by MSD.
The groups are hoping that neighborhood residents from the area will join in to help organize care for the crops, maintain the fence line and keep the area clean."
WHAS 11 TV News Story: http://www.whas11.com/community/Portland-Avenue-residents-turn-trash-into-treasured-art-137918888.html
Schedule:
April Present to Portland NOW with youth
May Install berries in the ground, install rain barrels at PPC and Nelligan Hall
June Major clean up utilizing church mission volunteers (ideally 18th and/or the 25th)
Monday, June 27th Introductions, Art and Food/Gardening Info, Visit Nelligan Hall and Grasshoppers, walk the fence line, develop text for flyers describing the project that will go out to the neighbors
Tuesday, June 28th Flyer the neighborhood, Permaculture installation design and planning, discuss aesthetic choices (colors, materials, etc…)
Tuesday, July 5th Worm compost bin creation, soil mixing, start building raised beds, work on signage for worms and plants
Monday, July 11th Bird Houses
Tuesday, July 12th Planning containers and backgrounds, design, working on creation of containers art
Monday, July 18th Containers and Backgrounds, studio workshop production
Tuesday, July 19th Containers and Backgrounds, studio workshop production
Monday, July 25th Containers and Backgrounds, studio workshop production
Tuesday, July 26th Plantings/Transplants, Prep for installation, Containers and Backgrounds, studio workshop production
Monday, August 1st Installation
Tuesday, August 2nd Installation
August Ribbon cutting and ceremony - CFN, LVAA, PPC and board members, youth and families, Portland NOW, all funding agencies, city government
