When nine-year-old Avery Myers goes to play in Oakwood Park, she will see her own paintings adorning the gate to the playground.
She is one of many community children who participated in two Community Clay Studio workshops in July to create and paint the 80 clay tiles that now make up the playground entrance. The gate will be one of many new renovations featured in the play area’s re-opening on Saturday.
Steve Wright, public art coordinator of the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreations Department, said the goal was to avoid what he called “plop art” — art with no real connection or significance to the park.
“The idea was, why not have the community’s children, who actually use the park, have some sort of artistic impact,” he said.
Wright said a project like this is a learning experience for the children.
“It helps them understand that art can be incorporated into aspects of their daily life and things they encounter every day, rather than something like a painting or a rare piece,” he said.
Neighborhood residents gave input into many aspects of the renovations — from the gate itself to the equipment and color scheme.
“We had a mindset to really get the community involved in the creation and ideation of a particular project,” Wright said.
Sherry Stockton, a resident of the community, said she enjoyed her experience at the tile workshop with her daughter, Ellie.
