In partnership with Sealed Air, local artist Amy Hart was commissioned to create a playful sculpture of “found objects” at the Innovation Barn. A nationwide naming contest was opened and the public voted on the Top 3 names. The winning name and narrative was provided by a local resident. Soon the public will be able to experience up close the beauty and possibilities of “trash” as Louise Cotton blows bubble [wrap] throughout the Innovation Barn garden!
The Louise Cotton Mill is what started the community now called Belmont, where the Innovation Barn is located. For sixty years, from 1897 to 1957, the mill was steadily in operation as a cotton mill. I think about what might have been produced because of the mill, including fabrics – fabrics that might have degraded over time, needing to be patched with a different fabric, or small pieces used to create a patchwork quilt. Much like the bunny crafted from remnants, the patchwork created something beautiful and enduring even if not in its original state. The mill was renamed as The Lofts at Hawthorne Mill, so the origins of the mill are being lost. Louise Cotton could pay homage to the origins of the neighborhood, which is enduring even if not in its original state. In 2021, Belmont is still a patchwork of race and income, but new pieces of fabric are being added rapidly representing an ever-evolving work.
