Earth Art Lab

press release: A loop of trails at Dorothy Carnes County Park in Fort Atkinson, will be taking a shift this season as artists engage with the landscape, park visitors, and the community through the Earth Art Lab temporary sculpture exhibit.

Earth Art Lab is an intersection of creativity & nature inviting the viewer to think differently about their experience at Dorothy Carnes County Park in 2016. Sculptures nestled along the 'art loop' trail will be made from natural materials gathered locally, installed on site, and allowed to interact with the elements through the autumn.

Anne Drehfal, the primary coordinator of Earth Art Lab, was inspired by similar outdoor natural sculpture exhibits elsewhere in the state and wanted to curate something closer to home.

“I'm trying to encourage people to see beauty in the world and find art in unexpected places, rather than only in gallery settings. Dorothy Carnes is a place that is near & dear to my heart and when I went to similar sculptural exhibits in northern Wisconsin and one in Verona, which made me want to coordinate something similar more locally.”

Earth Art Lab team is seeking artists to put in applications by April 22nd, 2016, and join this unique partnership between the arts community and the Jefferson County Parks Department. The application can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/EarthArtLabArtist or requested via email at EarthArtLab@gmail.com.

This is an opportunity to contribute to a unique art exhibit within the rural beauty of a community that is known for its support of the arts and outdoor recreation.

Earth Art Lab will invite up to ten artists/teams to install temporary large-scale sculptures, made from natural materials, within Dorothy Carnes County Park, from mid-June to October 2016. Artists are responsible for both installation and removal of their work, and will retain ownership of their work after the Earth Art Lab installation period.

If individuals or organizations are interested in supporting this project financially, tax-deductible donations can be made via the Fort Arts Council online at http://fortartscouncil.org/support/ or by mailing a check to Earth Art Lab, c/o Fort Arts Council Treasurer, W5190 Meske Road, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538.

To learn more about how you can participate as an artist or supporter and visit the park, check out Facebook.com/EarthArtLab or contact Anne Drehfal at earthartlab@gmail.com.