When is a project ”born”? Perhaps it was born when Diane moved to Huntsville as a new bride with a twinkle in her eyes, wondering if art and engineering can co-exist in the same town. Perhaps the project was born when she fondly recalled her fathers’ design of a community center that included a tiled wall.
No matter how we define its gestation period, the project is growing quickly!
The Bench Project was conceived this year within the circle of planning the upcoming Alabama Clay Conference when Diane met Jennie. The zygote of an idea landed among the Student Outreach Committee. Nourished by thoughts about collaboration between college students, public schools and the community, the project took shape. Now, one bench, several meetings, many emails, and 3 checks later….the Bench Project is…is….
If it isn’t born yet, we plan ahead. The Project will need a type of “Social Security Number” so that all benefactors will be able to find it and “invest” in its future. It will need “godparents” named to look after it if something happens to its “biological parents”. It will need… everything that a “new business” has to succeed. Thank goodness for the combined talents of self-employed artists, business owners, engineers, and educators who will nurture the young thing to maturity. Get ready Huntsville!