The public is invited to a Garden Party and community celebration on Friday, June 26, from 5–8 pm at WNC Sculpture Center (4612 Patterson School Dr., Lenoir, NC 28645), celebrating Biochar Drawing, a community earthwork by artist Ila Sahai Prouty.
Biochar Drawing is a community earthwork in which a charcoal drawing is buried beneath an herb garden. The piece is envisioned as both a community garden in the form of a line drawing and a project that explains biochar practices and sequesters carbon. Biochar is used in two ways within the earthwork: as a sequestration tool in the subsoil, and as a soil enhancement in the topsoil.
A central focus of this project is biochar, a charcoal material produced by heating organic matter in a low-oxygen environment. Added to soil, biochar improves water retention, supports microbial soil health, and stores carbon for hundreds to thousands of years.
Biochar drawing in progress, photo by Kade Vincent
The June 26th celebration will feature printmaking activities, information about biochar, and opportunities for attendees to plant seeds directly into the drawing. Students in Prouty's Appalachian State University course Climate and Community are assisting with the project. They are exploring environmental issues through participatory, place-based practices that connect personal experiences with larger ecological concerns.
Through creative collaboration, Biochar Drawing explores how communities can engage with urgent environmental issues on a human scale. Participants are invited to reflect on their relationship to the land while contributing to a growing regional conversation about climate resilience and restoration.
"I hope Biochar Drawing helps people experience climate action at a human scale," said artist Ila Sahai Prouty. "We can gather, make something beautiful together, improve the soil, and leave behind a trace that will outlast us."
The event is free and open to all ages. Visitors are also welcome to stop by the WNC Sculpture Center throughout the installation process to explore the grounds and view the project's progress.
Biochar Drawing is supported by a rural grant from South Arts, a regional organization dedicated to supporting artists and communities across the South, and a Pathways to Resilience QEP Engagement, Innovative Teaching, and Research Grant, through Appalachian State University
Event Details:
What: Biochar Drawing Garden Party & Community Celebration
When: Friday, June 26, from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: WNC Sculpture Center, 4612 Patterson School Dr., Lenoir, NC 28645
Admission: Free
About the Western North Carolina Sculpture Center:
Located on the Patterson School Foundation grounds in Happy Valley, N.C., the WNC Sculpture Center exists to inspire the appreciation and creation of sculpture in harmony with the landscape.
Contact
Joe Bigley, Director
Western North Carolina Sculpture Center
wncsculpture@gmail.com
https://www.wncsculpture.org/
4612 Patterson School Dr.
Lenoir, NC 28645
Ila Sahai Prouty, Artist
https://www.ilasahaiprouty.com/
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About the Department of Art
One of seven departments within the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Art at Appalachian State University prepares students to explore art, identity, expression, and creative problem-solving, while challenging them to push beyond their previous limits by discovering new connections to culture. The department offers degrees in art and visual culture, art education, graphic design, studio art, photography, and graphic communications management, with minors in art history, studio art, photography, and graphic communications management.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
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