Read What Chronogram has to say about Brunel Park!
In the June 2023 issue of Chronogram Magazine, Nola Storms writes: This Native Garden and Art Destination Combines Peace, Culture, and History in One Bucolic Setting. The Brunel Sculpture Park is an idyllic, hidden sanctuary of art, history, nature, and wildlife in the Catskills.
We love being connected to the Youth of our Community.
The Friends of Brunel Park have always seen this place as a learning laboratory. But in order to be that, you need teachers and learners. And a community with an open heart and open mind. We are so pleased to be partnering with our teachers and learners at the Onteora Central School District and we look forward to welcoming many more students and their families to Walk the Land; See the Art; Feel the Spirit. Enjoy this article pubished in the OCSD’s Winter 2023 Newsletter. Special thanks to Elementary Social Studies Instructional Coach, Karen Hadley for connecting with us.
Celebrating Elise Forrest and Edwin A. Harleston and Brunel Park’s African American Artists in Residence.
Elise Forrest Harleston has the distinction of being South Carolina’s First African American Woman Photographer. She received her early training while a student at the E. Brunel School of Photography in 1919.
Here is a copy of our end of year 2022 recap newsletter!
In January, we partnered with the Historical Society of the Town of Olive, The Ashokan Center, The Town of Olive Library, and the Town of Olive on an extensive online collection that provides materials that give a clearer picture of life in the Town of Olive before, during, and after the building of the Ashokan Reservoir.
In early 2022, we welcomed our newest member to our Board of Trustees: Michael Kodransky.
Michael Kodransky is a civic-minded leader in the transport sector contributing nationally and globally to shape communities as people-centered, environmentally sustainable, accessible, low-stress and inclusive places.
We are actively seeking engaged people to join our board. For more information, contact us at: 845-205-3839 or click on the link for more information. Contact 1 — Brunel Sculpture Garden (brunelpark.org)
In the Spring of 2022, the Girl Scouts from Troop 65009 helped us clean up after the winter’s terrible windstorms and planted a Three Sisters Native Garden, with leadership from our Trustee, Donna Coane.
The Girl Scouts also got us ready for our Second Annual Garden Conservancy Open Day on May 15th where we welcomed avid gardeners to see our spring display, including Kate Pierson lead singer of the B-52s and her friend, the renowned garden designer Dean Riddle.
In June, we produced a Solstice Celebration Concert featuring renowned Ojibway flutist and flute maker, Allan Madahbee, and members of Spirit of Thunderheart, which was funded by a Jumpstart Grant from Arts Mid-Hudson.
And we hosted two other Artists in Residence in May and June, Julia Lucas and Dahlak Brathwaite. Dahlak is a multi-talented hip-hop, theater and spoken word artist. While at Brunel Park, Dahlak worked with his collaborator, Mikey Rosenblum, on developing a new musical and spoken word performance piece. Julia Lucas is an artist and teacher in the lineage of Swami Rudrananda who spent her time at Brunel Park, working on her spiritual memoir which she featured in a reading in June. To find out about our Artist in Residency program, click the Apply Now link: Artist In Residency — Brunel Sculpture Garden (brunelpark.org)
In August, we once again partnered with the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice and hosted two members of their production crew.
We adopted a 1.3-mile segment of Route 28 and did a cleanup with members of the Onteora High School’s National Honor Society in October.
In November, Ms. Mitchell’s 2nd grade class came for a visit and a workshop with our Trustee, Donna Coane, on Native American games, musical instruments, and ceremonial objects
In December, Brunel Park became a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden!
And we’ve raised $700 towards the $5,000 we are raising to repair the concrete on the Brunel Totem this spring.
To catch up on how far we have come since the Friend of Brunel Park was formed in 2019,we published a triennial report encompassing our early start through the end of last year. Copy of ANNUAL REPORT 2021 (1).pdf
To support our programming, our ongoing efforts to fund the conservation and repair of restore Emile Brunel’s inspiring statuary, click here. Support — Brunel Sculpture Garden (brunelpark.org)
We wish you peace and invite you to Walk the Land, See the Art, and Feel the Spirit next time you are in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York.
In community,
Cynthia Nikitin, Trustee
Friends of Brunel Park
Meet Saige Gierloff, a 7th grade student at Onteora Middle School!
Saige will be our intern for 2023. We are helping her qualify for induction into the Junior National Honor Society.
Saige loves gardening and working outside. Here she is holding baskets of kiwis and pawpaws that she harvested in our garden this past fall. She dressed for the part!