Reflecting on Building Community through Art at Roxhill Park
As summer comes to a close, we reflect on the quality time spent integrating arts, nature, and neighborhood in the Delridge area. It’s crucial for a community to have free, accessible, and welcoming spaces where people can come together and co-create, contributing to a healthier neighborhood. One way DNDA engaged with this was through a spring program, Community Arts in the Park at Roxhill Park, which focused on creating art inspired by and made from nature. This program was funded by a grant from Seattle Parks and the Office of Arts and Culture. It ran for three months, every Saturday, rain or shine, where DNDA’s art team hosted drop-in art activities at Roxhill Park, facilitating connections between neighbors and their environment. Although families initially came to Roxhill Park for the playground, we observed that many returned each week solely for the arts-based activities. The goal of this project was to utilize artmaking as a tool to connect community members to each other, to nature, and to Roxhill Park itself.
Person proudly shares her mixed media rainbow wind chime- made with all natural materials. In the background we have joyful children and the teaching artist letting their creativity flow in the sunshine.
Given that Roxhill is the beginning of Longfellow Creek—a creek that salmon still run up and that meanders throughout West Seattle—we believe this program has not only social value but also ecological value. We wanted families to leave with a sense of joy and an understanding that they are stewards of this creek. We organized trail clean-ups and took the opportunity to discuss the origin of the trash while reaffirming the community’s support for this important work.
A young student and his grandmother curiously peek at his plaster sculpture that has been drying while he was playing. The teaching artist excitedly helps with the big reveal in a beautiful intergenerational moment.
Another goal the Arts Team set was for kids and their parents, or other important adult figures, to connect through making art together. The activities we offered were specifically designed to provide an intergenerational, hands-on experience, allowing families to collaborate on projects. Some activities included using flowers as paint, making a giant plaster sculpture of a tree, creating clay sculptures, and much more. We received incredibly positive feedback from community members , and many continued to return each week to engage in and enjoy the program. A heartwarming quote from one of the families that frequently attended: “I am so grateful that you guys are here consistently. I have gotten to see my kid in a new light as he explores different art projects in a way I have never seen before.” By the end of the program, we are proud to say that we hit every goal we set.
Eco hero kids taking trash pickers to the trails to make sure Longfellow Creek stays clean from trash. They led the way as a group of adults followed their lead picking up many bags of trash.
An unexpected opportunity arose with one of our consistent volunteers, Ann Perry, a nurse at Roxhill Elementary. Many of her elementary students spend time at Roxhill Park on weekends and attend this program. They would see Ann there and excitedly run over to hug her and share all the fun they were having. This led Ann to interact with their parents in a new way , thanks to the casual outdoor setting and open opportunity. This gave her a broader view of the students themselves and their families as a whole, which I find incredibly heartwarming.
Sweet times in the sunshine with a picnic table full of art supplies and good people. Students and the teaching artist are considering how to make their next steps for their art project.
By the end of the three-month program, we found that many community members appreciated having a safe place to come—not only to have something to do outdoors, but also to connect with one another. It’s crucial for neighborhoods to have free public spaces so we can continue the necessary work of community building for our future. What a special way to build community through artmaking and quality time at your local creek. Stay tuned for more outdoor art programs!
-Written by DNDA’s Art Program Manager Erin Kollar