Sculpture in the Wild: a volunteer's perspective

It’s been a little quieter at Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild now that the weather has changed and all the summer activity with artists, students and the Café Night fundraiser have come to a close.

Over the summer, articles highlighted the curator’s and the artists’ perspectives, but important insights for the park can come from the volunteers who make all the events and behind-the-scenes planning for the park happen.

Several volunteers make all the events possible at the park, but Wanda Owen, one of the newest board members, offered some perspective as someone collecting donations, feeding the artists, and helping with the Café night. She also has the perspective of starting as a volunteer. She and her husband Chris began by volunteering with artist Patrick Daugherty on Tree Circus, which is one of the most popular pieces at the park.

“Chris helped every day for three weeks and I brought cookies. From that point on, we fell in love with the park and became interested in the people and the organization. We just wanted to be part of it all,” Owen said. Once they got involved, she just wanted to be more a part of it. “It’s such a unique and important part of the community,” she said.

As a volunteer, Owen feels a connection to the park, like she has some ownership of it. “It’s a different connection, as opposed to just coming to visit the park.” she said.

Last year the Owens hosted two visiting musicians. They are still in touch with them and they feel like they have created some lifelong connections. This year, Owen felt a kinship with Stuart Frost and his wife, and knows if she and her husband ever travel to Norway, they’ll meet again.

Owen appreciates the conversations with the artists, during which she can connect with them on a personal level and get to know what they think about the community and the area. She also enjoyed watching the interactions between the artists and their families, especially with Daugherty and his son during their work on Tree Circus. “There is so much respect and care for one another between the artists and their families and they work as a team.”

This year, Owen was tasked with going around to local businesses, as well as those in Missoula, Helena, and Great Falls.

“There was a phenomenal response and support from the community and local businesses.” Owen said.

When she went to Missoula, Helena and Great Falls to secure donations, everyone she talked to knew about the sculpture park and she heard comments like: “Oh it’s my Dad’s favorite place to go” or “every time we drive through Lincoln we have to stop and see what’s new,” and “I go through Lincoln all the time and want to stop there” or “I’ve been wanting to get there.”

Owen thought it was neat to hear about the park from people far and wide, and how it is reaching all these different places and groups of people.

As someone relatively new to the community, Owen really appreciated meeting people and the interactions she had as she sought donations. She had heartwarming conversations with those folks and says Lincoln feels like home to her.

“The connection aspect of everything is important,” she said,” from the board, to the community, to the artists who come to make it better each year, their families and, of course, the volunteers, and how it all connects with people who don’t even live here and come to visit.”

Owen believes people who haven’t seen the park yet are just missing out; she thinks it’s something anyone and everyone can appreciate and enjoy in their own way since the park celebrates the history and the culture of the Lincoln area. “The artists provide an interesting view and an inside look at our history.”

Owen finds the number of people in the community who haven’t been out to see the park amazing.

“Just get out there,” she said. “If you haven’t been there, you need to be there.”

Owen reiterated that the community businesses have been wonderful with their donations, but thinks individuals would love to be more involved, too. She hopes to help make that happen next year.

“It could be something as simple as asking people in the community if they would like to bake cookies (for the artists). I think … the board needs to communicate what would be helpful,” she said. “I realize it is a busy time for everyone. People are trying to get their wood in for the winter and have activities throughout the summer, but if we get the word out early enough allowing people to plan for it they could be more involved if they would like to.”

One of the ways people can learn more about the park is to go on one of the tours for locals and business people, which the BPSW board began offering last spring. Local business owners are encouraged to take the tours, as well as their employees. The board has found in the past is that people who know about it and get involved in it really feel like they are a part of it. “Once people participate in a tour, it enables them to tell people about it and share it with their friends giving them some ownership of the park and making them ambassadors of it as well.” Owen said.

If you would like to become a volunteer or are interested in helping at any of next year’s Sculpture in the Wild events, please contact one of the board members, and if you haven’t yet been to visit the park, winter offers a different perspective of the sculptures.