Garden of Collaboration

The Eureka Springs Carnegie Library garden was filled with color and joy last week.

Eureka Springs Middle School partnered with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the library to host an end-of-the-year community gathering on Tuesday, May 19, featuring several pieces of student artwork. The event capped two years of collaboration between the middle school and Crystal Bridges as part of the museum’s school arts partnership program.

Middle school art teacher Shelby Chappell said the event would have culminated in the final reveal of the school’s public art project — a bench adorned with mosaic tiles in the library garden — but the wet weather delayed that part.

“It’s been really fun, and I’m most excited about the kids getting to come out and place these mosaic pieces in the bench,” Chappell said.

Chappell described the process of developing a public art project, saying it began with middle school students sketching an installation they’d like to see in Eureka Springs. At least 40 students sketched their vision for the installation, Chappell said.

“Some of them were super out-of-the-box, like the origami sculpture,” Chappell said, pointing to sketches on a display table. “How cool is that?”

The students voted on their favorite proposal, which was then brought to the library board. Eventually, everyone agreed to erect a bench featuring mosaic tiles in the shape of shoeprints.

“The project’s on empathy. Students wanted to express Eureka and how much people in Eureka care for each other,” Chappell said. “It’s the thought of walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.”

Superintendent Bryan Pruitt said it can feel a little surreal to see how the Eureka Springs community comes together.

“Eureka is kind of like a fairytale,” Pruitt said. “Do we really have that? The answer is yes, and that’s what makes it such an awesome experience to be here.”

Dru Davidson, program manager for school partnerships at Crystal Bridges, said he was blown away by the final proposal.

“Young people have this amazing responsibility as they’re growing to find out who they are in relation to other people, how to honor their own voice and navigate that with others’ voices,” Davidson said. “That ability to empathize and walk in someone else’s shoes … we know those people who are able to put themselves in other people’s shoes lead lives that are rich, full in creativity.”

Davidson added, “They’ll always be thinking about how to bring people together, to find the common good. This project really exemplifies that.”

Local artist Jessica Ames-Russell helped the students choose their design.

“I’m excited to take the kids out here to place at least one tile in the mosaic,” Ames-Russell said. “I really enjoy it, working with kids and having that creative collaboration with them.”

April Griffith, community engagement specialist at the library, said she has enjoyed working with the school on the project. The school district and the library have the same goal, Griffith said.

“We’re helping them raise the next generation of readers,” Griffith said. “It’s incredibly important for the library and the school to have a working relationship.”

Griffith said she loved seeing the garden full of kinship. The library purchased the building next door years ago, Griffith said, and volunteers helped clean it up.

“This has always been a community space, but now there’s active participation for the younger generation,” she said. “I want them to feel like it’s theirs. It’s the community’s.”

Watching kids show off their artwork in the garden, Chappell started to tear up.

“It makes me so happy I could almost cry,” she said. “Look at us. Everyone’s so happy out here hanging out and eating food, just focusing on community.”

Chappell thanked everyone at Crystal Bridges for making the partnership possible. Throughout the process, Chappell said, Davidson and his team hosted collaboration sessions for all the schools involved in the arts partnership program.

“The best part was getting to talk about where we’re at in our school and what we’re seeing with the students,” Chappell said. “Crystal Bridges has only ever been helpful. They’ve given us things we need. Giving us opportunities and encouragement is a big deal.”

Pruitt agreed.

“It’s amazing what cooperation we’ve had with Crystal Bridges,” Pruitt said.  “It’s such a great experience for our kids, and that’s what makes it priceless. Our kids are so receptive to this. We have great kids and great teachers that will work together to make it happen.”

Eureka Springs was undoubtedly the right choice for the arts partnership program, Davidson said.

“This is a multi-year project and they’ve been working so hard connecting with the community on how to tell these individual stories of Eureka Springs,” Davidson said. “It’s kids learning and engaging together. Tonight is just a moment in time to celebrate and help kids recognize the impact they’re making in their community.”

Years from now, students can see their work in the library garden. And that’s worth everything, Chappell said.

“It all comes back to community and togetherness,” she said. “We’re better together.”