2015 installation by Sam White.
Visiting an art exhibit can be a stuffy affair, with works often protected behind glass in closed, climate-controlled environments. That is, unless you visit “Art in the Wild,” which is best experienced in sneakers and sweat pants.
“Art in the Wild” is Wildwood Park’s annual outdoor exhibit, the “gallery” consisting of the meadows, trees and marshes along the 3.1-mile nature trail. Walking along the circular path, visitors experience more than dozen exhibits made from mostly natural materials.
“’Art in the Wild’ is locally designed by community members to encourage play and fun and to motivate,” said park Manager Chris Rebert.
Common exhibit elements include sticks, logs, branches, clay, cloth, wooden pieces, animal bones, shells, rocks, moss, nutshells, gourds, wool yarn, natural fiber, plant dyes and lots of weaving, said Michelle Hornberger, assistant program director, Dauphin County Parks and Recreation.
“Artists are planning to use lots of vines, particularly Asiatic bittersweet,” Rebert said. “This is a win-win, because bittersweet is a common problem plant, and we need help cutting the invasive, non-native vine to keep it from damaging trees.”
Each exhibit is labeled with a numbered placard. You may have to look high, low, through the trees or in the water. You can pick up a brochure featuring a map with the approximate location at any point in the visual hunt.
At press time, artists had divulged few details on the creations that park visitors can expect to see this year. Past exhibits have ranged from abstract concepts such as harmony or fluidity, moral messages like the importance of recycling, or a whimsical set of swings woven from vines.
Those who create the trailside installations are split among school students, individuals and group artists. Anyone can apply, plus the selection committee sent invitations to an extensive list of schools, regional art institutions and artists.
“Our evaluation committee had a difficult time selecting,” Rebert said.
“Art in the Wild” is a judged competition and, this year, artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein will do the judging. Known professionally as “The Myth Makers,” they not only critique outdoor art throughout the country, but also create it using natural materials. They will evaluate each exhibit according to visual and conceptual criteria.
“The judges are a rather big name in outdoor art,” said Hornberger.
“Art in the Wild” brings awareness to Wildwood’s mission: preserving, enhancing and interpreting the park’s resources. The event is just one of the park’s programs that teaches about the natural world. It also brings in extra visitors, increasing the potential for community involvement and public educational opportunities.
“Those who visit the art installation and the accompanying programming continue to surprise us,” Rebert said. “Some have never been to the park before, while others return year after year. We are seeing school art classes engaging more with the program, including using it as a learning, and perhaps portfolio, opportunity for aspiring artists.”
This month, visitors can even bring plastic bags to add to an outdoor sculpture. The Myth Makers will build a large-scale public art project as part of the opening festivities on April 8 and 9. When completed, “The Harrisburg Phoenix,” with its multi-colored plastic “feathers,” will be a symbol of rebirth for discarded plastic bags.
While touring the exhibit, don’t forget to vote for your favorite art installation. People’s Choice winners will be announced at the annual “Celebrate Wildwood” event on Sept. 25.
For folks who cannot walk the loop around Wildwood, Capital Area School for the Arts students produced a video highlighting the exhibits and the artists who created them. The video premieres at the Artists’ Reception and Awards Ceremony on April 8. It then will be available all year long in the nature center.
Exhibits are on display until November. “It is interesting to tour the exhibit multiple times and enjoy how each installation responds and changes with the seasons,” Rebert said.
If you’re an artist, it’s too late to contribute to this year’s exhibit, but applications for the 2017 event will be available in September at the Wildwood Lake website.
Art in the Wild runs April 9 through November at Wildwood Park in Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.wildwoodlake.org
“Art in the Wild” April Events
To celebrate the opening of “Art in the Wild,” Wildwood Park will feature several special events this month.
- April 3: Meet the Artists, 1 to 3 p.m.
- April 7: Lecture by The Myth Makers, renowned artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- April 8-9: The Myth Makers construct a colorful, large-scale public art project, “The Harrisburg Phoenix.”
- April 8: Artists’ Reception and Awards Ceremony, including premiere of a video created by CASA students.
- April 9: “Art in the Wild” opens to the public.
