Beaver Pondering Lodging: Artist Discussion & Community Clean-Up

Lend a hand to make our community a healthier place, and hear local artists discuss habitat, housing, and the creation of a unique living willow sculpture. 'Beaver Pondering Lodging' features a larger-than-life beaver and RV on the banks of Still Creek next to a busy road and train tracks. Project artists Carmen Rosen, Willoughby Arévalo, and Joe Boyd will discuss the inspiration behind this sculpture, which invites reflection on habitat loss for animals and humans alike, and the stories they heard from community members who stopped to talk with them during the hundreds of hours they spent creating the sculpture. The event will start with a garbage clean-up to make the neighbourhood healthier for both urban wildlife and the people who live here. We encourage you to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy during the talk.

This talk is part of Still Moon Arts' Shedding Light Public Talk Series, which is made possible by support from TD-Friends of the Environment Foundation, The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, The Province of British Columbia, and a City of Vancouver Greenest City Grant.

About the speakers

• Carmen Rosen (she/her) is an award-winning visual artist, singer, and interdisciplinary performer. Carmen’s visual art can be seen in the stone mosaic pathways around Renfrew Ravine, giant puppets and stilt walking characters at festivals and community parades, giant lantern installations at the Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival, and living mushroom sculptures, Fruiting Bodies, in Renfrew Community Park.

• Willoughby Arevalo (he/him) was raised in the Coast Redwoods in southwestern Cascadia (traditional Wiyot and Yurok territories) and fell in love with fungi as a young child, and has been learning from them, along with plants, animals and microbes, ever since. Willoughby has worked with Still Moon as a community-engaged public artist since 2016, co-leading projects such as Beaver Pondering Lodging, We All Belong and Fruiting Bodies.

• Joe Boyd has always enjoyed exploring nature and the community around him, from the suburbs of Toronto to East Vancouver, with stops in Nigeria, Switzerland and northern Quebec along the way. Joe has lived in East Van for over 30 years.

Summary of Logistics:

• Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024
• Time: From 5:30 to 7:30 PM
• Location: Beaver Pondering Lodging | Map
• This is a free event. Donations are appreciated.

What to expect

• The community clean-up portion of the event will happen first, from around 5:30 - 6:30. The artist talk will be from 6:30 - 7:30.

• Drop-ins welcome - come for whatever portion of the event you can.

• We encourage you to bring a blanket or camping chair to sit on.

• As the event takes place over dinner time, we invite you to bring a picnic dinner to eat during the artist talk portion of the event.

• Garbage clean-up: Safety equipment, including gloves, garbage grabbers and garbage bags, will be provided.

• Garbage grabbers will be available for sale by donation at the event for those who would like to help keep the neighbourhood clean after the event (recommended donation $10).

Accessibility

• Location: The Beaver Pondering Lodging is an unpaved grass garden located by the parking lot of the Real Canadian Superstore as you're heading towards the Rupert Skytrain Station

• Wheelchair: The location is wheelchair accessible from Rupert Skytrain and Superstore parking lot

• Parking: There is free parking in the Superstore's parking lot.

• Washrooms: There are no washrooms available on-site, but can be found at the Real Canadian Superstore, located less than 5 minutes away (~200 meters)

• Seating: There will be a small number of folding chairs available for attendees.
• If you have any questions or requests about event accessibility, please email [email protected].

Getting There

• Beaver Pondering Lodging is located near Rupert Skytrain station, near the Great Canadian Superstore on Grandview Highway.
• By Bike: Take the Central Valley Greenway Bikepath to Rupert St., head South across the train tracks, the site is on the West side of the street.
• By Public Transit: Take the Millenium Line to Rupert Skytrain Station, cross Rupert Westward and walk South towards Grandview Highway. You'll find us in the grass near the lifesized woven willow recreational vehicle!

About Still Moon Arts Society

Still Moon Arts Society mobilizes community and creates positive change through eco-arts and environmental stewardship programming, and produces the annual Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival. Still Moon is a registered charity whose mission is to inspire vibrant and connected communities by creating artistic experiences and nurturing a passion for nature.

This event takes place on the unceded territories of xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Host or Publisher Still Moon Arts Society