Seeds of Regrowth – Shasta County Wildfire Recovery 2018-2019
ART from the ashes Exhibitions and Community Programming
Community Friendship Quilt
Our collectively created metal “quilt” is in the tradition of “friendship quilts” to which members of the community each contribute an individually embellished piece to collectively create a quilt for someone or for a special occasion. Our “special occasion” is celebrating community and Seeds of Regrowth. The Community Friendship Quilt is an outgrowth of ART from the ashes Artist-Community Creative Salons, part of AFTA Seeds of Regrowth programming fostering an opportunity for artists and community members to share their fire experiences and techniques through the cathartic and healing activities of art-making.
Lifecycle Installation
Lifecycle is about finding beauty and hope in our constant state of change – whether it comes by choice or by chance. The manzanita stems in this installation were altered forever by the Carr Fire, but the heat of the fire also stimulated seeds dormant in the soil, producing new life. Baskets were salvaged from homes lost in the fire. In combination, they symbolize transformation and transition within natural and human communities as well as their interconnection, which is so much part of life here in Shasta County.Debuting at the 2019 Sundial Music Festival, then traveling to its current location at California Street Labs, Lifecycle continues to evolve and grow with community participation. Our community was forced into transition by circumstances. And with the circumstances being fire, we had go through it together. Our landscape is changed and our lives are changed. Our burnt Manzanita branches reach in an embrace and the baskets hold our experiences, ready for transformation. As part of your experience during ART from the ashes Seeds of Regrowth Exhibition, we invite you to visit the installation — write down a thought or intention, or draw an image on the wood rounds provided and place them into the baskets. The objects will undergo their own transformation and be returned to the elements this fall at the close of ART from the ashes, Seeds of Regrowth Exhibition.
North Opps Collective
Hose Fitting Tree, Fire Hose ChairsThe works created were constructed using found items from the Carr Fire Combined with hoses and fittings and fire hoses that had been used on the fireline, but no longer meet standards for use and would otherwise be thrown away or recycled. The tree is assembled from various water handling fittings and hardware that have been used to fight wildland fires. Some of the hardware was used to fight the Carr Fire, some of it is from other Northern California wildfires.The employees at the North Zone Fire Cache, which is part of the USDA Forest Service Northern Operations Service Center provide operational, logistical, administrative and strategic support for wildfires in the state of California. The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands for present and future generations.The North Zone Fire Cache (NZFC) is one of 14 National Support Caches located throughout the United States. The role of the Fire Cache is to provide logistical support to all requesting state and federal agencies. Support is primarily directed toward wildland fire suppression activities. Also supported are local and interagency efforts in cases of natural disasters and large projects such as prescribed burning.In an effort to reduce waste, hoses, fittings, tools and other equipment that can no longer be refurbished and used for fighting fire, the NZFC is inspired to look for a second life these materials and donated items for artist use and inclusion in ART from the ashes, Seeds of Regrowth.
As part of the effort to become a zero-waste facility, staff at the USDA Forest Service North Zone Fire Cache (NZFC) conducted a waste audit to find out what kinds of materials were going into the trash. Their findings inspired them to look for a second life for firehoses and other materials and to repurpose and recycle. In support of ART from the ashes, Seeds of Regrowth, the NZFC donated materials to be transformed into functional items and unique works of art.
Resilience, a Basket Collection
Utilizing reclaimed fire site materials the team creatively crafted a collection of 3 baskets. The baskets represented are a fish basket, burden basket and hopper basket with mortar. The significance of the piece reflects the resilience of the Indigenous community whose ancestors faced genocide. Yet, these descendants are still here, resilient and working to build a better future for the generations that come. Picking up the pieces, building upon past traumas, moving ever forward, transforming, growing and renewing. The artists who created “Resilience, a Basket Collection include indigenous women from the Wintu, Pit River and Hawaiian peoples.
Wolf Pack Ecology Quilt
The title “Wolf Ecology” refers to the scientifically proven concept of “Trophic Cascades:” when the top predator is re-introduced into a region, the region ecology, including flora, fauna and water, is brought back into balance. This is particularly important post wild-fire. Our region had two Wolf Packs – one at Mount Shasta and one at Mount Lassen. Only the Lassen Pack remains. The Shasta pack no longer exists due to intentional killings based on mistaken understanding of how valuable the contribution that wolves make is to the environment. Our collectively created “quilt” represents some of the plants and animals of this region that are brought back into balance when Wolves are present.Each metal piece represents an aspect of the local ecology.
Spacial Awareness
U-Prep StudentsThis Installation was created by University Prepatory Schools beginning and advances Junior High and High School art classes. Each piece was created separately by each student using branches, twigs and pine needles found at the Swasey Trail located off ofEureka Way. As students completed their works, they connect them on the back creating a series of panels connected together to create one large piece. Each work on display exhibits each student’s motivation for growth from their experience at the Carr Fire.
