Villages Orb Project
What is it?
An interactive art installation created by glass artist Tim Blair in collaboration with the Villages of Van Buren, and Villages Folk School. 50 hand blown clear glass orbs are created and hidden along trails in Lacey Keosauqua State Park, and County Conservation trails in Van Buren County.
When?
The hunt begins June 1st and concludes when all orbs are found.
Why?
To encourage folks to get out and have fun experiencing the beautiful trails of Van Buren County.
Who can participate?
Anyone! We ask if you find an orb that you then go to the Villages of Van Buren website and register your orb. PLEASE, only one orb per person, if you find another orb please hide it again in the same area you found it. Register your found Orb here: https://villagesofvanburen.com/villages-orb-project.html
Where?
Along trails in Lacey Keosauqua State Park and trails maintained by Van Buren Conservation. Orbs will be hidden within a few feet of the trail, and never on private property. Please leave the area undisturbed. Van Buren County trail maps: https://villagesofvanburen.com/directory.html?item=1515
About the artist
Tim Blair was born and raised in Van Buren County. He has been wandering the trails here all his life. 11 years ago, Tim took his first class in glass blowing from Jim Topic, a glass artist in Nauvoo, Illinois. He was immediately hooked.
Since then, Tim had created a hot shop at Bloom and Bark Farm, where he and his wife, Kim, reside with a menagerie of animals. Primarily self-taught, he searches out fellow gaffers to learn from during his travels. He has also had the opportunity to receive instruction from Grant Garmazy in Richmond, Virginia and Michelle Weston of Berea, Kentucky.
Now retired from his day job, Tim spends his days blowing glass, and helping Kim on the farm.
Bloom and Bark Farm provides demonstrations, and classes for those who visit. They have also added an Artisan Market where 13 local artists utilizing many different media sell their wares.
Tim had the pleasure of taking a class from Eban Horton in Rhode Island some years back. He then visited Block Island where Horton had initiated the Block Island Float Project. Eban and his crew make and hide 550 clear glass floats along the trails and coast of Block Island. It sounded like something that would be exciting to try along the trails of Van Buren County. Tim developed the design and had a stamp made for the Villages Orb Project. As procrastination and pandemic occurred it was put on the back burner until this year. June 1, 2022 will begin the search for orbs in beautiful Van Buren County, come join the fun. 50 clear glass orbs the size of an orange will be hidden along the trails of Lacey Keosauqua State Park and County Conservation maintained parks in Van Buren County. They will be placed within a few feet of the trail, and never on private property. We ask that you leave the area undisturbed and if you find an orb to register it on the Villages of Van Buren web site. There will be 2 special colored orbs hidden as well. All Orbs are signed, dated and numbered.
PLEASE, only ONE orb per person. If you find another, please hide it again in the same area you found it.
Now, go out and find an orb!!!
Van Buren County trail maps: https://villagesofvanburen.com/directory.html?item=1515
Register your found Orb here: https://villagesofvanburen.com/villages-orb-project.html
