Walk and Click Wednesday ~ April 10, 2013

 

Oh my, it was hot around here yesterday. Reaching 85 degrees was way too hot for me! On top of that it was humid, which will be causing storms later today. Hopefully no tornadoes!! I find it very fascinating that I don't notice the heat as much when I'm with my camera.

 

And, with my camera I was. I'm taking another class with Kat Eye Studio called "A Sense Of Place."  I don't go to faraway places, but I do want to learn how to better tell the stories of the places I visit. One part of our exercise was to go on a photo excursion. I decided I'd just combine that with Walk and Click Wednesday.

 

 

I had recently read about a small sculpture garden (only 100 x 150 feet) in an area of downtown Little Rock know as SoMA for Southside Main Street. The garden is a juxtaposition of nature and man made creations. Anita Davis, an investor, bought this whole block of South Main. One of her first projects was to turn an empty lot into the Bernice Sculpture Garden.  Master Gardener, Lavern Davis, tends the native plants and landscaping.

 

 

The sculpture "Comfort" may look soft, but those beautiful textured pillows are made out of concrete.

 

 

Some of the sculptures are permanent like the mosaic above. There are four of these mosaics scattered about the garden. Many sculptures are only there for a year. Mrs. Davis  hosts a sculpture competition to bring new sculptures into the garden.

 

 

She stresses the use of recycled or reclaimed wood and metal for the garden and the sculptures. The concrete slab, which is the foundation of a past fast food restaurant, is covered by a canopy. (shown on the left below) The structure catches rainfall and funnels it into a cistern. (shown on the right) The collected water is then used to water the plants. The cistern is faced with reclaimed wood from a slave building once located on a nearby plantation.

 

 

This pathway is colorful and eye catching, especially when the sun is shining on it. The mulch is made with recycled tumbled glass. There are no sharp edges. I had to put my hand down and test that out. It's true, no shape edges. It certainly will last much longer than wood mulch.

 

I even tried out the local cuisine. I ate a most delicious burger from The Root Cafe. They feature fresh seasonal ingredients from small farms in the area. The meat, bread, cheese, and vegetables are also locally grown and produced.

When I arrived at the garden I saw how small it was and didn't think I'd be there much more than an hour, but I wound up staying in the neighborhood for four hours! When I got home the first thing I did was take a nap!   All that fresh air and exercise made me sleepy. I can tell I was a little more sedentary this winter, my arms got tired from holding the camera to take so many pictures. I think I might need to start lifting weights!  Just a small reminder when you're out and about, don't forget the sun screen. I got a little pink, but it could have been much worse. 

 

Enjoy your day!

If you're in the path of these storms, take care!