Room to Grow by Freedom Baird – Intro

You can find Room to Grow by walking west on the Minuteman Bikeway from Linwood Street towards Arlington Center; look to the right in about 500 feet.  

When we first started talking with Freedom Baird about creating work for PATHWAYS, we asked her if she would make a sculpture relating to trees along the Bikeway.  She proposed something a little different: to create Room to Grow, a sculptural garden that she would visit and tend regularly and that would spark conversations. These conversations of course don’t take visual form, but they are nevertheless a vital part of this work. Baird will be on-site most Sundays in July, August and September from 3 to 6.  She hopes to talk with neighbors, passers by and other visitors, exploring their ideas and experiences related to themes of sustainability, the environment, gardening, and the relationship between humans and nature.  Everyone has interesting stories to share; in just two planning visits to the site, we met a neighbor who told us about her personal campaign to eradicate the invasive plants along the Bikeway, and another who told us about the challenges of keeping her backyard colony of bees.  We invite you to visit on a Sunday when Baird is working, hear more about her project, and join the conversation.

Please help us create a portrait of Room for Grow as it evolves and capture the small details as it changes through the summer season and with times of day.  Share your photos and impressions on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #roomtogrow.   Please tag @freedombaird and @artsarlington.