The garden was a creation of master’s student David White in 1989, and was the final project for the completion of his graduate degree in art. Sixteen years later, visitors are still stopping to smell the flowers.
After teaching art and English in Japan for fifteen years, White recently returned to HSU and was excited to find his project still standing and in good condition. He decided to restore this permanent art display – stabilizing the foundation, cleaning up the rough edges, and planting new sculptures.
White anticipates the restoration will continue for several more months. He is also documenting the history of the piece and its restoration with a series of faculty, staff, and student interviews, which will be recorded and edited on digital video.
When asked how he will measure his project’s success, he says, “When people slow down and take the time to look around and smile – that will be success.”
For more information, contact Betsy Boone, HSU Art Department chairperson, at 707/826-5798 or eb5@humboldt.edu.