World Bamboo Workshop Vietnam 2022

Held in Binh Duong province, on the grounds of Phu An Bamboo Village, approximately 125 people from over 20 countries gathered together to experience the wonders of bamboo and learn from global experts on various aspects of this versatile natural resource. The most spontaneous build came as a result of the creative sculptors, The Myth Makers, Andy Moerlein & Donna Dodson (USA). We designed a representation of the legendary bird of Vietnamese mythology, the Chim Lac! This creation was adorned with festive lights in honor of World Bamboo Day, as we marched alongside the Mid-Autumn Festival with children galore! Singing and shouting of "BAMBOO" echoed through the bamboo groves; it was magical. See the video produced by Bryan McClelland.

It was our pleasure to collaborate with an international team of artists to realize this project. Thank you to everyone who made it possible: Susanne Lucas, Martin Mortera Abdi, Peter Van Lengen, Nguyen Manh Tuan, My Hanh Diep, Edgar Banasan, Michel Abadie and so many more! For more information, check out this short film by Santosh Oinam : the 4th World Bamboo Workshop, 2022.

Owl Hollow

 

Nestled into the Little’s Garden at the STEAM & Science centered Discovery Museum in Acton Massachusetts is a family of giant Owls. Built by the Myth Makers during an artist residency, with bamboo and zip ties, this art installation invites children and families to enter, play and explore. Inspired by the local family of barred owls that nest in the hollows of the trees in the surrounding Great Hill Conservation area woods, this family of barred owls is snuggled close together. Children can peer out of the hollow through the brightly colored window openings and pass between the owl family through multiple doors. This installation is sure to be a crowd pleaser and the best part is that with each season it will be transformed by the changing landscape.

 

Avian Avatars at the Dawes Arboretum

 The Dawes Arboretum welcomes The Myth Makers for the largest art exhibition in its history

The Myth Makers build six monumental bamboo structures inspired by The Arboretum

(Newark, OH) – The Dawes Arboretum welcomes six monumental sculptures from artists The Myth Makers, with the exhibit scheduled to open to the public on May 27 2022. The bamboo birds—some standing more than 20 feet tall—are currently being built for The Dawes Arboretum by The Myth Makers, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, in New Jersey at an industrial scale artist residency, Gardenship. These will be the tallest art pieces ever shown at The Dawes Arboretum.

Built with bamboo and mixed media, the sculptures, coined “Avian Avatars” by Dodson and Moerlein, will be placed throughout The Arboretum and remain until Spring 2023. Made from natural materials, the sculptures are site-specific and are meant to slowly disappear into nature over the course of their life.

“The Myth Makers are inspiring artists and we could not be more thrilled to welcome their work to The Arboretum,” said Luke Messinger, Executive Director for The Dawes Arboretum. “These sculptures are the first of their kind on our grounds and we are excited for guests to see them among our beautiful landscapes.”

The Myth Makers’ inspiration comes from a mutual love of nature. For Dodson, that’s specifically the mysterious nature of birds, and for Moerlein it’s events that leave visual marks in nature. Each sculpture coming to The Dawes Arboretum will represent an iconic local bird, and each will have its own historical backstory: “Love Long Last” is a pair of Northern Cardinals representing The Arboretum’s founders; “Bertie’s Peacock” is a peacock representing Bertie Dawes’ passion for the magnificent bird; “The Gentleman” is an Eastern Bluebird in honor of Beman’s Great-Grandfather, Manasseh Cutler and his love of trees; “Towering” is a Sandhill Crane representing the iconic Columbus artist Ann Hamilton; and “The Great Owl” is a Great Horned  Owl that acknowledges the original inhabitants of this landscape and the significance of the panoramic views surrounding the Arboretum.

Dodson and Moerlein have completed more than 50 projects together internationally and have received multiple national awards and recognitions. The duo will travel to Newark two weeks prior to the opening to finish up the building process and make sure their Avian Avatars are secured and assembled.

“The Avian Avatars we are preparing for The Dawes Arboretum are for The Arboretum,” Dodson said. “Andy and I look at the entire community when we are gathering inspiration. Anyone who sees our work at The Dawes Arboretum will recognize each bird from their own story. They will know these sculptures aren’t just a passing installation—they will know they are meant to be there.”

The Gentleman

This Eastern Bluebird is named in honor of Manasseh Cutler (1742 –1823) the great grandfather of arboretum founder Beman Gates Dawes. Mr. Cutler is considered a founder of Ohio University who wrote the Ordinance of 1787 that prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory.

Manasseh was a renowned amateur botanist. His writings reveal a fascination for the social aspects of gardens and a deep respect for the culture that trees and gardens nurture.

Beman Dawes brought this vision to life when he established the Arboretum. The Eastern Bluebird is one of many birds who rely on the abundant tree life of the Dawes Arboretum to build their cavity nests. But he is by far the most dapper of them all.

2022. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media 15 ft tall.

The Great Owl

The Great Owl takes a long view of time and place. This sculpture acknowledges that it is located on the unceded ancestral homelands of the Hopewell, Kaskaskia, Myaamia and Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee). The Great Owl stands as witness of the long history of racism and oppression in the United States and strives to honor the contemporary lives of Indigenous peoples.

As you sit and contemplate this place, let us all appreciate the significance of the panoramic view surrounding the Dawes Arboretum and the many lives that have cherished this unique landscape.

2022. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 25 ft tall

Bertie’s Peacock

Beman Dawes’ passion for the arboretum rivaled Bertie Burr Dawes’ vision for the gardens. She drew endless delight researching every living thing suitable to a formal garden including peacocks. From her journal: “Their first food was a purple violet, and after spurning my bread crumbs, they settled in the Lily of the Valley bed, then nipped off the Poet’s Narcissus. Food for the Gods, surely.”

The peacock is an extravagant bird with many different interpretations in myth and legend. They are a symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors. In Jewish lore, the peacock is a symbol for joy and creativity, whereas Chinese mythology associates the peacock with the sweet harmony of sound. For many, its magic iridescent feathers evoke the cosmos.

2021. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 25 ft tall

Towering

She stands head and shoulders above the rest, referencing two iconic Ohioans, the sandhill crane and Ann Hamilton. Ohio Native and Columbus resident Ann Hamilton is an outstanding artist. She has received the National Medal of the Arts, a MacArthur Fellowship and the international honor of representing the United States in the 1999 Venice Biennale.

"Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language. The quality of cranes lies in this higher gamut, as yet beyond the reach of words."

-Aldo Leopold

2022. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 30 ft tall.

Love Long Last

Northern Cardinals are social creatures. They mate for life and enjoy romantic partnerships. Males feed the females beak to beak throughout their summer courtship and often sing softly to each other. Without equal, their popularity, vibrant colors and melodic songs have made them the state bird of Ohio. These two birds stand independently but evoke a powerful camaraderie and friendship.

In folklore Cardinals have great significance. The belief that Cardinals are spiritual messengers exists in many cultures. They are seen as harbingers of good health, renewal, and loving relationships. Whether it is an omen or just a delight, it is evident that sighting a red cardinal makes everyone happy.

2019. Bamboo, wire ties and mixed media, 20 ft tall each.

About The Dawes Arboretum
Founded in 1929 by Beman and Bertie Dawes, The Dawes Arboretum is a living museum celebrating the history and beauty of trees and nature.  Located in Newark, Ohio (30 miles east of Columbus), The Dawes Arboretum offers paths, trails and boardwalks to explore along with historical and art exhibitions and educational programming. The Dawes Arboretum is recognized by the National Registry of Historic Places and is open daily. Admission is free to members and $10/adults, $5/children ages 5-15 and free/children under 5 years of age. Additional information on visiting, programming, history and membership is available at www.dawesarb.org.

Update:  ABC interviewed us live on Sunday May 29, 2022 for this special Dawes Arboretum 'Myth Makers' Preview by Latricia Polk. The Columbus Dispatch reviewed this exhibit in their Sunday Edition on June 5th, Impressive king-sized bird sculptures a feather in artistic duo's caps with a full length article by Nancy Gilson. Accompanying this review is a slide show of 16 installation images by the photographer, Joshua Bickel. Spectrum News featured The Avian Avatars, 20 ft Bird Sculptures, on Display at The Dawes Arboretum on June 10, 2022 in a special report by Brionna Rivers.Avian Avatars, 20-foot bird sculptures, on display at The Dawes ArboretumAvian Avatars, 20-foot bird sculptures, on display at The Dawes ArboretumAvian Avatars, 20-foot bird sculptures, on display at The Dawes Arboretum

Night and Day

Night and Day- a magical pair of magpies symbolizing the Alaskan experience built by the Myth Makers for the Alaska Botanical Garden

Every Alaskan knows about the long winter nights and short winter days that become the long summer days and short summer nights. Built during the summer solstice at the Alaska Botanical Garden, this pair of avian avatars will remain on view through the winter solstice. Sited facing one another across the walking path, they act as a gateway as guests explore the gardens. Night and Day celebrate the changing light that defines the experience of living in this unique climate using the magpie, an iconic Alaskan bird to convey this message. One is white, symbolizing the day or light, and one is black, symbolizing the night or darkness. Together they tell the story of the unique ecology of the Alaskan environment.

Watch Alaska’s News Source TV coverage of this installation, Unique sculptures built at Alaska Botanical Garden.

Read more about this project in the Anchorage Daily News, July 11, 2021, by Emily Mesner, "Giant Magpie Sculptures rise along trail at Alaska Botnaical Garden."

Caterpillar Crawl and Butterfly Fairy Frolic

The Myth Makers were one of six artist teams selected to create new work for the Tower Hill Botanic Garden "Wild Hideaways: Designed for Adventure" exhibit in Boylston Massachusetts. The "Caterpillar Crawl" and the "Butterfly Fairy Frolic" celebrate the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. The sculptures invite play and exploration from visitors of all ages while drawing attention to the relationship between milkweed and the survival of this unique creature.

The Caterpillar Crawl is designed to invite exploration from visitors of all ages. This sculpture celebrates the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in its larval stage and is made of bamboo – a renewable, sustainable, natural material. When woven together, the bamboo mimics the wriggly shapes and contours of a caterpillar. The Caterpillar Crawl is designed to invite exploration from all ages

This sculpture celebrates the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and its journey from egg, to caterpillar, to pupa, and finally to butterfly. Imagine that a fairy has waved their wand over a caterpillar and changed it into a butterfly. Nature’s magic! We invite you to use your imagination as you enter and explore the sculpture, frolic with the fairies, and then emerge into the fields. Will you be changed, too?

Watch a Behind the Scenes video of this exhibit.

At the close of this exhibit at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden, The Myth Makers moved the Butterfly Fairy Folic to Artspace Maynard where it was installed prominently in the sculpture garden to celebrate Maynard's Sesquicentennial. This project is supported in part by a grant from the Maynard Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

At the close of the installation at Artspace Maynard, the Butterfly Fairy flew to her new home in Ashburnham at the New Dawn Arts Center just in time for the fall Harvest festival.

As a  symbol of transformation, she fits right into this quintessential and historic spiritual New England landscape. Be sure to stop by and see her with her newly designed iridescent wings.

The Phoenix Festival

 

The Phoenix Festival was commissioned by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge for A New View Camden. The City of Camden New Jersey won this American Cities grant to fight illegal dumping in the community. For this project the Myth Makers designed a pair of monumental mythical phoenix birds that stand on the site of the former Camden incinerator to represent Camden rising from the ashes of illegal dumping and looking towards a bright future for the city.

This installation includes two site specific sculptures that were built in Boston at Save That Stuff Warehouse. Once installed, the Myth Makers added two long tails to the Phoenix sculptures that create a path to the amphitheater at the back of the site. The Myth Makers collaborated with the Dudley School to invite all 500 students to paint and decorate the flags that fly high above the Phoenix Festival. The space inside the installation is filled with benches that were designed by the Myth Makers. Donna & Andy had a vision to include the voices of Camden youth in their project. They partnered with the Kipp Norcross High School students and the Mighty Writers of Camden to collect short poems and reflections. Their words are transcribed onto the benches.

The Myth Makers are known for creating Avian Avatars, or bird headed mythological figures that celebrate community heroes. For the Phoenix Festival, Dodson & Moerlein chose to honor Rodney Sadler and Nilsa Cruz-Perez for the work they have done to clean up Camden’s waterfront and to strive for environmental justice with the people who live in the city. The installation was made possible by the support from The Camden DPW, Subaru Artist Apprentices, Camden-Rutgers Center for the Arts, Dudley School, Mighty Writers, Kipp Norcross High School, Cooper’s Ferry Partnerships, and the Bloomberg Foundation. The Phoenix Festival is located near the historic Federal St Bridge at 1401 Federal St. We hope you will visit, add your local heroes and inspirations to the community bulletin boards, and be part of the positive changes that are happening in the City of Camden. The Phoenix Festival asks visitors and residents alike to put an end to illegal dumping by working together to clean up empty lots, like 1401 FEDERAL St, continuing the work of local environmental justice heroes in the community and activating these public spaces with music, dance, poetry, picnics and family gatherings, and enjoying these public art experiences of A New View Camden.

Press links:

6abc - https://6abc.com/community-events/new-art-installation-raises-awareness-about-illegal-dumping-incamden-nj/10537456/

Burlington County Times - https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/videos/news/2021/04/21/preview-newview-camden-illegal-dumping-art-installations-bloomberg-south-jersey/7321193002/

Broad Street Review - https://www.broadstreetreview.com/wnwn/painting-a-new-view-in-camden-onearth-day

Chestnut Post - https://www.thechestnutpost.com/news/free-art-exhibit-gives-you-a-new-view-of-camdennbc10/

City Pulse - https://www.thecitypulse.com/post/for-earth-day-environmental-art-exhibit-unveiled

Courier Post Online - https://www.courierpostonline.com/picture-gallery/news/2021/04/20/new-viewcamden/7307849002/

Courier Post Online - https://www.courierpostonline.com/videos/news/2021/04/21/preview-new-viewcamden-illegal-dumping-art-installations-bloomberg-south-jersey/7321193002/

Courier Post Online - https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/life/2021/04/21/new-view-preview-looklarge-art-installations-camden-bloomberg-illegal-dumping-public-art/7258882002/

Dosage Magazine - https://www.dosagemagazine.com/a-new-view-camden-a-public-art-exhibition/

Fox29 - https://www.fox29.com/video/924771

Go Green Podcast - https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/130700/earth-day-in-camden-nj-public-art-atillegal-dump-sites

KYW1060 - https://www.audacy.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/camden-to-showcase-art-made-fromillegally-dumped-materials

NBC10 - https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/entertainment/philly-live/free-art-exhibit-gives-you-a-new-viewof-camden/2788810/

New Jersey 101.5 - https://nj1015.com/changing-perceptions-of-camden-sneak-peek-at-new-outdoor-artexhibits/

NJ Pen - https://www.njpen.com/from-invisible-to-invincible-a-new-view-camden-seeks-to-reshape-citysvacant-lots/

NJ.com https://www.nj.com/camden/2021/04/earth-day-2021-nj-city-fights-illegal-dumping-w-ith-epicrecycled-outdoor-art-display.html

NJ.com - https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2021/04/outdoor-public-art-project-unveiled-in-camden.html

Philadelphia Inquirer - https://www.inquirer.com/philly-tips/philadelphia-kids-events-calendar20210418.html

Philadelphia Inquirer - https://www.inquirer.com/photo/inq/earth-day-art-camden-illegal-dumping-pictures20210421.html

Philadelphia Inquirer - https://www.inquirer.com/philly-tips/things-to-do-philadelphia-weekend20210422.html

Philadelphia RowHome Magazine - https://issuu.com/philadelphiarowhomemagazine/docs/prh_spring2021__1_/88

Philly Metro - https://philly.metro.us/a-new-view-connects-people-and-nature-by-turning-trash-into-art/

PHL17 - https://phl17.com/web-exclusives/public-art-project-provides-camden-with-a-new-view/

South Jersey 104.9 FM - https://sojo1049.com/changing-perceptions-of-camden-sneak-peek-at-new-outdoorart-exhibits/

TapInto.net - https://www.tapinto.net/towns/camden/sections/arts-and-entertainment/articles/camdenart-exhibit-offers-a-new-view-of-the-city

Theatre in the Round Podcast - https://soundcloud.com/phillycam/ad-amorosis-theater-in-the-round-april19-2021

WHYY - https://whyy.org/articles/a-new-view-in-camden-citywide-project-to-tackle-illegal-dumping-throughpublic-art/

WHYY - https://whyy.org/articles/philly-theater-caribbean-food-and-camden-celebrates-earth-day-in-thisweeks-things-to-do/

Wings of Wonder: Towering Works of Nature

Photo credit: Scott Rogers, Gainesville Times

For the Atlanta Botanic Garden in Gainesville Georgia exhibition, Wings of Wonder: Towering Works of Nature, on view March 27 – October 31, the Myth Makers: Donna Dodson & Andy Moerlein created a new sculpture, Flannery’s Peacock, and loaned a pair of existing cardinals, “Love Long Last” for the Myth Maker’s debut in Georgia.

Photo credit: Brenau University staff

Flannery O'Connor is a great American author and essayist whose writings are deeply connected to her Georgia home. Her style of Southern gothic fiction exposed the conflicts of the human soul in the universal search for spiritual redemption. She surrounded herself with very few humans and an abundance of peacocks.

The peacock is an extravagant bird with many different interpretations in myth and legend. They are a symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors. In Jewish lore, the peacock is a symbol for joy and creativity, whereas Chinese mythology associates the peacock with the sweet harmony of sound. For many, its magic iridescent feathers evoke the cosmos.

Photo credit: Brenau University staff

The cardinals that are seen as harbingers of good health, renewal and loving relationships. Each bird is 15 feet tall and, although monumental in scale, these ephemeral works are temporary in nature – they are made from natural materials such as bamboo, tree saplings and found objects, meant to last only several years before fading away.

Photo credit: Scott Rogers, Gainesville Times

The Myth Makers partnered with Claudia Wilburn, Associate Professor, Department Chair for Art & Design and Director for the Center for the Arts & Design at Brenau University on this project. Wilburn’s students worked with the Myth Makers to install their sculptures on site and in the process, the students learned about their bamboo building techniques.

Photo credit: Brenau University

Update: On March 29, 2021, Jane Harrison from Lakeside News covered this story, NEW SCULPTURES ROOSTING AT GAINESVILLE GARDEN. On March 30, 2021, Kelsey Podo from Gainesville Times covered this story, Looking for a weekend activity? Come see these three massive birds nesting in Gainesville’s Atlanta Botanical Garden. On April 1, 2021, Brenau University covered this story, Brenau students help create art at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville.

Seeking Higher Ground moves to the Art Complex Museum

An enormous bird has now landed at The Art Complex Museum and is already drawing much attention. The enormous Blue Jay is a collaboration between well-known Maynard, Massachusetts sculptors The Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein. Dodson is inspired by the mysterious nature of animals. Moerlein derives inspiration from events in the natural world that leave visual marks which strike a narrative chord.

According to folklore tradition, the Blue Jay is symbolic of clarity of thought, taking action. Seeking Higher Ground, says its creators, is a clarion call to heed the warning signs of climate change and its affects. It reflects a hope that humans can unite to affect those changes needed to adapt and survive - like the Blue Jay.

Although monumental in scale, this work, as others they have created, is temporary in nature. Made from natural materials, it is site specific and responds to the local audience. Meant to last five years, at most, it will appear, fade, and disappear, adding a chapter to the life stories in Duxbury.

Seeking Higher Ground, 20 foot tall, bamboo, zip ties, reflector, spray paint, oil cloth, 2019

Love Long Last

Monumental Avian Avatars landed in Summit New Jersey on July 9, 2019

Summit Public Art recently unveiled a pair of monumental sculptures created by the Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein as part of the organization’s annual rotation of sculptures around town. The press and public witnessed the installation on Tuesday July 9th at 9:30 am at the Village Green next to the train station. At 5:30pm Common Council President David Naidu made remarks and commemorated the artwork. The community gathered around the artists to hear their remarks at the unveiling and dedication ceremony. The sculptures will be on view for one year. Watch a video preview of the sculptures here and here.



Love Long Last by The Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein

Northern Cardinals are social creatures. They mate for life and enjoy romantic partnerships. Males feed the females beak to beak throughout their summer courtship.

In folklore Cardinals have great significance. The belief that Cardinals are spiritual messengers exists in many cultures. They are seen as harbingers of good health, renewal, and loving relationships. Whether it is an omen or just a delight, it is evident that sighting a red cardinal makes everyone happy.

These two birds stand independently but share a powerful camaraderie and friendship. They walk past one another, their heads turned and their gazes locked. This public art project symbolizes the power of love and the bond these two creatures share.

“Love Long Last are two spectacular sculptures that will intrigue passersby with their impressive structures and their fascinating story that embody the imaginative and creative culture of Summit New Jersey,” said Marie Cohen and Deb Schwarzman, co-organizers of the project “We are delighted to showcase the Myth Makers, and we are confident these impactful sculptures will be the most popular public art installation in Summit this year.”

Crafted from bamboo, wire ties and found objects, the sculptures stand 15 feet tall, the largest and most monumental art installation that Summit has commissioned in their 17 years of this project.



About the Myth Makers

The collaboration between Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein is born from a mutual love of the wild, taking inspiration from events in the natural world and the mysterious nature of animals. Both artists have presented public work throughout the world at art museums, sculpture parks, and urban centers. Their affection for site specificity and working with local audiences is evident in this new pair of monumental sculptures.

The Myth Makers have completed over 20 monumental public art projects worldwide in the past ten years. Their temporary structures built from natural materials have been exhibited in Keelung Taiwan, Verbier Switzerland, New York City NY, Wausau WI, Easton MD, Muskegon MI, Boston MA, Portland ME, Concord NH, Harrisburg PA, Providence RI, New Orleans LA, Coral Springs FL Kansas City MO and Windsor VT. This is their first public art installation in New Jersey. For more information http://themythmakers.blogspot.com



About Summit Public Art

Founded in 2002, Summit Public Art is a volunteer-based city organization whose mission is to bring art to public spaces throughout Summit, infusing the community with assorted contemporary art installations that provide public art experiences to those who live, work in, or visit Summit.

Over the past seventeen years, Summit Public Art has installed over 85 pieces of temporary art throughout the community, The artists represented include many of national and international renown. The committee has also sponsored and facilitated two permanent installations on Broad Street: three bus shelters and the Gateway Tree sculpture welcoming people to town.

Summit Public Art creates aesthetic experiences that enrich citizens’ quality of life, creating community ties and pride, and strengthen the cultural vibrancy of the city. Although it is a city entity, Summit Public Art receives no funding from the city for installations or operations. It raises money through individual donations, public and private grants and corporate sponsorship. For more information, visit https://www.summitpublicart.com

Update: Summit Public Art produced a live video with the Myth Makers during the installation of Love Long Last. Drone footage of the 2019 installations for Summit Public Art.