Somerville, MA, July 30, 2019— “Living Tapestry,” a temporary art exhibit at Blessing of the Bay Park (32 Shore Drive) highlights the diversity and abundance of tree species in Blessing of the Bay Park through a colorful display of painted and woven Oriental bittersweet vines extended across the boathouse. Each woven vine represents an individual tree and each color will correspond to a tree species.
“We are excited to draw more attention to both the Blessing of the Bay Park and all the important tree species that are in this urban space,” said Zoe Davis, TerraCorps member and project lead. “I encourage you to check out the installation, learn about local trees and just enjoy being near the water and nature right in Somerville.”
Artist Carolyn Lewenberg is the artist who assembled the installation. “It’s very rewarding to develop a project where you can see the work of so many hands that went into the making of the work. This piece is an expression of plant communities and human communities and the transformation that can happen when people put time and energy into understanding and caring for our waterways and ecosystems that keep them clean.”
“I participated in the early stages of this project with a community service group at Tufts and I helped with the final product with a group of campers from the Welcome Project,” Mona Tavangar explains, “Two different groups, two different sides of the Mystic River, one amazing organization! It was amazing to see this project come full circle.”
The art installation is part of a comprehensive, community-driven plan and design for Blessing of the Bay Park, that is being led by the Mystic River Watershed Association in partnership with the City of Somerville, the Department of Conservation and Recreation and Groundwork Somerville. With the input of local residents and stakeholders, the revitalization plan had identified an initial design that includes physical features, natural areas, programming and amenities needed to transform this park into one that supports recreation, active transportation, social cohesion and ecological health. Designs can be seen at www.MysticRiver.org/BlessingoftheBay.
This art installation and native plantings were funded by the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the BSA Foundation.
