“Celebration Garden” awarded TN Arts Commission grant

by emoorheadwallace

Emily Moorhead-Wallace and J Taylor Wallace in collaboration with the Knoxville Jewish Alliance have been awarded partial funding for a public sculpture on the Arnstein Jewish Community Center grounds in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Chagigah Shel Gina (Hebrew for “Celebration Garden”) is a community-engaged public art and education project that includes a series of free public workshops, an artwork swing, and a garden featuring plants used in Jewish cultural traditions.

Two public workshops will guide participants through the creative process. In the first workshop on November 6th, participants will learn sketching techniques and explore how individual and group drawings can be transformed into public sculpture. The session includes a presentation by the artists of past community-based artworks. In the second workshop hosted in April of 2026, attendees will learn sustainable gardening techniques while planting culturally significant vegetation. Participants will also help shape a natural playscape using logs and boulders.

All activities are free and open to the public. The project will increase public understanding of the creative process and result in a permanent outdoor space that supports inclusive cultural and educational programming. The garden and exhibition area will remain accessible to all visitors and continue to serve as a welcoming, community-centered space for learning, celebration, and connection.