2017 was another remarkable and productive year for Life Frames, Inc., non-profit sponsor of A Living Library, with relentless efforts to bring ecological greening across many environments of New York City and San Francisco while educating children, youth, and adults about natural systems and the importance of integrated diversity through Learning by Doing. For those who missed our 2017 In Review Enewsletter, click here to know more about all the work we accomplished last year.
As the first month of the brand new 2018 goes by, Bonnie Ora Sherk, Founder & Director of Life Frames, Inc. & A Living Library, shares A.L.L.’s Goals for this year:
- Transforming Seneca Avenue Streetscape:
Seneca Avenue Streetscape
Life Frames, Inc. has been awarded a $633,300 grant by the California Natural Resources Agency under Proposition1 — California Urban Rivers Grant Program. Beginning in 2018, the grant will support the ecological transformation of Seneca Avenue — a long, barren, and wide stretch of concrete that aggravates flooding problems in the surrounding areas and the communities around the Islais Creek Watershed. The ecological transformation of Seneca Avenue Streetscape will lead to a series of Rain Gardens, bordering four public schools and expanding the OMI/Excelsior Living Library & Think Park and the A.L.L. Nature Walk to interconnect communities in the Islais Creek Watershed, the largest in San Francisco that interlinks eleven neighborhoods.
- Completing Rear Yard Greening of James Denman Middle School:
See the Difference !
What started as a dull and lifeless concrete desert has slowly been transforming into an ecological wonderland. The Rear Yard of James Denman Middle School has been transformed by removal of tons of asphalt and concrete, and the planting of California native tress and colorful native understory plants by teams of enthusiastic students and Salesforce volunteers.
However, the project’s progress has been hindered by the discovery of a second layer of asphalt and concrete, beneath the first excavated layer. A Living Library plans to complete the greening project this year and create a California Native Redwood Circle as new outdoor classroom and community resource, with the help of volunteers and additional donors. If you want to help, Donate Now ! We need to raise an additional $15,000. Your gift, large or small, will help us to complete this important work for the students and community !
- Secure Funding For School Day, After-School, Summer Children’s Programs and A.L.L. Green Futures Paid Internship for Middle & High School Students:
A Living Library continues to work with hundreds of students (PreK-12) during the school day, after school, and summers in the OMI/Excelsior Living Library & Think Park, Bernal Heights Branch Living Library & Think Park, and prototype Bernal Heights Living Library Nature Walk in hands-on, interdisciplinary, Common Core A.L.L. STEAM + Literacy.
Learning is Fun !
Additionally, the A.L.L. Green Futures Paid Internship for Middle & High School Students during Spring, Summer, and Fall sessions is a unique hands-on learning program to teach students and young adults about ecology, sustainability, gardening, and nutrition, and impart valuable, practical skills for future green job opportunities in the public and private sectors.
- Developing New Programs & Environments To Create & Maintain Green Infrastructure Interconnecting Schools, Communities, Parks, Public Housing, Street, And Other Open Spaces In Islais Creek Watershed:
Scene From Bernal Heights Living Library & Nature Walk: Oak Allee in St. Mary’s Park
To continue to raise awareness about the importance and opportunities of the Islais Creek Watershed, the largest in San Francisco that interconnects eleven neighborhoods – Noe Valley, Mission, Bernal Heights, Potrero Hill, Bayview, Portola, Crocker-Amazon, Excelsior, OMI, Glen Park – and the many values of ecological green spaces with systemically integrated hands-on community and school education, A.L.L. plans to expand its prototype Bernal Heights Living Library & Nature Walk in schools, communities, parks, street sites, public housing, and other open spaces throughout the Islais Creek Watershed, including transformation of two currently derelict and flooding freeway interchanges (101/Chavez & 101/Alemany) into Islais Creek Watershed Northern & Southern Gateway Community Parks – Entrances to the Watershed.
- Developing New Branch Living Library & Think Parks in Reno, Nevada, Turin, Italy, and Zurich, Switzerland:
In addition to the existing Branch Living Library & Think Parks and Nature Walk in San Francisco and New York City, Life Frames has been invited to begin planning for new Branch Living Library & Think Parks in diverse communities – nationally and internationally.
In January last year, Bonnie Ora was one of the keynote speakers at the STEAM Teacher Training; City Planning Design, Development and the Human Experience at the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno. Her presentation in January: A.L.L. STEAM+Literacy With A Living Library was received well by an enthusiastic crowd of Nevada educators, city leaders, and others. Plus, her installation at the Museum: A Living Library Is Cultivating The Human & Ecological Garden and her keynote at the Art + Environment International Conference in October, have all paved way for the development of a place-based Reno Branch Living Library & Think Park. Stay tuned !
Bonnie Ora during her visit in Italy
Additionally, she has been invited to create an Exhibition about A Living Library in Turin, Italy in May, and to give a Community A.L.L. Workshop as the beginning effort to develop a unique Turino Living Library & Think Park in that community. She will also build on the work she began last year with the community in Zurich, Switzerland where there is interest in continuing to develop a unique Zurich Branch Living Library & Think Park.
- Secure Funding For Roosevelt Island Living Library & Think Park And Develop New Branch Living Library In Brooklyn and Queens, New York, where there is already interest:
Roosevelt Island Living Library & Think Park on Roosevelt Island Day 2017
The Roosevelt Island Living Library & Think Park has witnessed a long history of involvement from children and their parents, families, school groups, seniors, and disabled residents of Roosevelt Island. It has emerged as a powerful green center and learning landscape for the whole community. A.L.L. has been invited to create similar ecological learning landscapes in Brooklyn and Queens this year.
- Developing Further Technical Designs & Drawings Of Green-Powered Digital Gateways:
Green-Powered Digital Gateway 8, Drawing/Collage © 2016 Bonnie Ora Sherk
In order to interconnect Branch Living Library & Think Parks developed across diverse parts of the world, Green-Powered Digital Gateways will serve as multi-functional or multi-Funcshuional sculptural elements in the landscape, showcasing local resources and processes of communities through Multimedia Digital Archives, allow for live interactive broadcast between places, and bring underground water forth as needed. Green-Powered Digital Gateways will serve as a dramatic visual Beacon for the community and also help us to experience and learn from the commonalities and diversities of different cultures and ecologies – near and far.
- Continue Exhibiting A.L.L. In Museums & Galleries Worldwide:
A Living Library Is Cultivating The Human & Ecological Garden: View East Into Bonnie Ora’s Mixed Media Installation at Nevada Museum of Art, Reno 2017
A.L.L. received international recognition at the Venice Biennale 2017, one of the most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions in the world. A Living Library was exhibited as a part of Bonnie Ora Sherk’s installation Evolution of Life Frames: past, present, future. In August last year, her multimedia installation — A Living Library Is Cultivating The Human & Ecological Garden was exhibited at the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, and will be featured in 2018 at the Parco Arte Vivente in Turin, Italy. Bonnie Ora will continue exhibiting A.L.L. in other museums and galleries, locally and globally.
- Developing The A.L.L. Store:
To further reach our interested volunteers, donors, and participants, our A.L.L. Store with meaningful, environment-friendly and conceptually provocative products and editions of artworks will be launched soon. Stay tuned to learn more about our A.L.L. Store.
To those who have resolved to bring a positive change to your surroundings and our planet this year, Life Frames and A Living Library welcomes your Donations and Your Participation as Volunteers for our Branch Living Library & Think Parks. Extra Hands, Minds, Creativity, and your Dollars will definitely help us to achieve our goals! Thank you for your support and involvement.
Your Involvement and Contribution will make a difference in the environment and help us to create a healthier and greener future for all species – locally and globally. Thank You !
