Garden Stories:
A DAAP Art Opening at the CGC
The Civic Garden Center proudly presents Garden Stories, an exhibition of artworks by DAAP Fine Arts students from the University of Cincinnati. The pieces will be displayed at the Civic Garden Center beginning on April 21, 2023.
Please Join Us!
You’re invited to join us for the opening, which is free and open to the public. The evening will include presentations by the artists as well as conversation, food and beverages in the garden.
When: Friday, April 21, 2023 from 6 to 8pm
Where: The Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Rd., 45206 (more info)
The Story of the Project
The idea of partnering with a class to celebrate the Civic Garden Center’s milestone year came from Michelle Ratterman, the nonprofit’s former Administrative and Facilities Manager. “I believe art and gardening go hand in hand,” she said. “Both are creative activities.”
Garden Stories is the Civic Garden Center’s second collaboration with DAAP. The course is taught by Professor Anca Matyiku. Its premise: take on the question of ecology through a dialogue with another species in the garden. “Over the course of the semester, students developed an in-depth understanding of interdependences and vulnerabilities between the various ecologies of their immediate and local environments,” Professor Matyiku explained. Students selected a local species they found intriguing, then used research, making, drawing and writing to tell the story of that species for garden visitors. The class met weekly at the Civic Garden Center, sometimes drawing on staff expertise to explore their species of choice.
Featured artists include Sam Aldrich, Rishi Tej Aritakula, Emma Banks, Stephanie Cieslak, Mitchell Frey, Kirsten Goodge, Colton Jones, Reid Knox, Jeffrey Martin, Taylor Tullis, and Tony Urbas.
