Last Sunday, 60+ community members showed up, dug in, and got their hands dirty — and we couldn’t be more grateful. Together we planted over 70 plants and moved what felt like an entire mountain of mulch and gravel into the garden. Not bad for an afternoon’s work! A huge thank you to the Harris/Pike family for keeping the work stations humming, Tootsie Jablonski and David Dalton for making plant science genuinely fascinating, and Tara Bain with UTK Hillel for bringing serious energy. Knoxville–Oak Ridge Hadassah ran a wonderful plant swap, guests sampled Jewish heritage recipes inspired by the garden,…

I’m honored to share that I am a finalist for the new public sculpture commission at Suttree Landing Park, in collaboration with J Taylor Wallace. Our proposal is a living sculpture — a steel trellis constructed from heavy-gauge plates that dovetail together at the top to form a strong, interlocking crown. Designed to support climbing plants, the piece will evolve seasonally as vines grow through and around the structure. The side walls feature cut silhouettes of dogwood blossoms, referencing East Tennessee’s landscape and casting shifting shadows along the riverfront path. The project, organized by SoKno Sculpt in partnership with the…

(Existing site to be modified) We’re excited to share that construction of Chagigah Shel Gina (Celebration Garden) begins at the end of February! Our first steps will include removing the existing swing and carefully harvesting the stone path so the materials can be reused in the new garden. This process of reclamation reflects our commitment to sustainability and honoring the site’s history as we transform it. We’ll then begin building forms and pouring the concrete footers for the new sculpture; laying the literal foundation for this meaningful public artwork. You’ll likely see construction equipment on site the week of February…

I’m excited to share a recent interview featuring my life and work with Voyager Knoxville. In the article, I talk about my path as a sculptor and art services professional, and how my experiences as a registrar, gallery technician, and independent art handler led me to found New Roots. The interview explores what it means to work behind the scenes caring for artwork; collaborating with artists and institutions, solving complex installation challenges, and approaching each project with creativity, precision, and respect for the work itself. It also touches on my belief that art has the power to transform homes, public…