For this project, my class had to write a one page reflection about our time volunteering at Keep Growing Detroit.
Identity Project Reflection, Lydia Bonney, 2024
As an artist, I have discovered that I often turn to nature as inspiration and the subject of many of my artworks. The natural beauty of the great outdoors allures me in a way that I find hard to describe. Working on gardening with Keep Growing Detroit was a very comfortable, grounding, and fulling experience for me and deepened my love for nature and the many wonders it produces. Not only did I get to spend several hours outside, but I was also surrounded by other artists who were also committed to Embodied Practice.
Growing up, I had a garden in my backyard. I grew strawberries, zucchini, blueberries, cherries, apples, pumpkins, broccoli, carrots, green beans, and yellow squash. Even though I grew up with a garden, I still learned a lot from my short time volunteering at Keep Growing Detroit. I learned the correct spacing for radishes and bok choy, that it is more efficient to overplant and thin later than to only plant 1 seed three inches apart, and how Keeping Growing Detroit is helping to better the community it is a part of.
Going from writing a research paper on urban agriculture in Detroit last semester, to spending time contributing to the urban gardens through Embodied Practice, I see just how valuable it is for an artist to stay connected to what they love. Being an artist is about connecting with local communities and finding creative ways to help. Artists are the bridges between people and social change, so it is vitally important to interact with diverse communities. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Keep Growing Detroit and plan to return whenever I need creative inspiration.
