Creative Campus

UPDATE:The Nest is currently being constructed!

First, we went to Tuscaloosa Magnet School and children were asked what they thought of when they heard the word "Nest." Some of our favorite answers were "home," "safe," and "warm." Then we explained the project to them and asked if they would paint their own bright stick to add to the larger sculpture. Sharing paints and brushes, the students worked together to create their own artful pieces of the Nest. They enjoyed the chance to make art and be a part of the project, and their sticks will be woven into the final Nest sculpture.

See photos from the schools [here]

The next step was gathering materials. Student volunteers from the University came together at the Tuscaloosa Area Volunteer Reception Center (TAVRC) in Alberta to clean up some parts of the city and gather debris for the Nest. It was a cold, windy morning, but we found branches big and small that will become part of the sculpture.

See photos from the debris cleanup [here]

Finally, it was time to start building! With the help of UA sculpture department graduate student Kelly Shannon, the Nest grew.

See photos from the Nest build [here]

Creative Campus is pleased to invite you to the unveiling and community painting of The Nest! On February 25th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Rosedale Park, join us in painting your piece of the Nest, constructed from the debris of our community after the April 27th tornado. The event is open to all in the community, and after the finishing artistic touches, the Nest will become a permanent public art installation at Rosedale Park. For more information, email uanestproject@gmail.com.

In a new venture called the Nest Project, Creative Campus will build a larger-than-life nest to be displayed as a symbol of rejuvenation in the midst of the tornado's destruction. Working with Kelly Shannon, a new grad student in the sculpture department at the University of Alabama, we'll collect branches and other tornado debris, have businesses, organizations, schools, and individuals in and around Tuscaloosa paint the branches, and then re-collect and re-assemble the painted branches into a brightly-colored nest sculpture. The nest will, literally and symbolically, weave together pieces of the Tuscaloosa community. 

Creative Campus believes art can be a powerful mode of recovery, and the Nest Project will hopefully provide those affected by the April tornado with a compelling symbol of recovery, comfort, warmth, and growth.