Growing up, artist Kate Lochridge was always outside — it was the beginning of a deep interest in the ecology of the place where she lives. So, when she moved to Northwest Ohio in 2019 to attend Bowling Green State University, Lochridge quickly learned as much as she could about the Great Black Swamp.
Lochridge hopes to foster an appreciation for the region’s natural history in others with her winning design for an art-inspired parklet, or “artlet,” to be installed in front of Novel Blends in downtown Bowling Green today.
“I hope the artlet can help grow a sense of community based around belonging to such a special place,” said Lochridge, an art and marine biology major at BGSU.
The artlet’s railing contains illustrated carvings of nine different species native to the Black Swamp; the artlet’s plantings will all be natives, too. Glider swings and built-in benches will allow visitors to sit for a bit.
“The swamp has become a symbol of the beauty and wonder of the area,” Lochridge said. “I want to use the ‘artlet’ to recognize the importance of the Great Black Swamp, the organisms that call it home, and how it has influenced who we are as a community.”
Lochridge commissioned Aaron Rosa, a colleague at the School of Art, to create a sculpture to be installed at the artlet’s center.
“It’s perfect,” Lochridge said. “Aaron truly captured the essence of the Black Swamp with his work.”
Novel Blends was happy to host Lochridge’s artlet in front of their store on South Main Street, said owner Michael Stoepler.
“I think the parklets are a wonderful addition to our downtown, and we are excited to help the community enjoy the new artlet – what a cool collaboration with Kate and our university,” he said.
This season’s parklets, including the artlet, are being built by Ellen Fure Smith, artist and owner of Little Bare Furniture and Parklet Project member, with the assistance of Lochridge and other students, faculty and staff in the BGSU School of Art’s Integrated Studio.
“Kate is wonderfully talented and has been so much fun to work with,” Smith said. “She has made the Parklet Project so much better this year – and I cannot wait to see her design on the street.”
The Parklet Project is a fundraising effort launched in 2021 to help downtown businesses install the city’s first parklets. Along with support from more than 70 individuals and local businesses, this year’s parklets are being funded by a $50,000 grant through T-Mobile’s Hometown Grant Program. Bowling Green was one of just 25 communities nationwide to be awarded funds through that program.
Anyone wanting to support future parklets can do so by sending a contribution to “Downtown Foundation, Inc. – Parklets” c/o Jeff Dennis, PO Box 406, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402 or visiting downtownbgohio.org/parklet-project.
