Land Lab
Misty Hollow is a space for experimental land use projects. Artist in Residence projects that consider and employ the property resources sustainably are just one of the many experimental projects. Some of the other projects include: land care and restoration, managing impacts from climate change and humans, and erosion and drought control.
Misty Hollow is working with The Hoyt Center for Arts and Education, New Castle Public Library, PennOhio Clay Guild, Restoreth Roots, LLC, Slippery Rock University, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Macoskey Center for Education and Sustainable Research. These generous supporters provide programing, educational opportunities, creative consulting, and environmental consulting for the artists in residence and ecocentric projects on the property.
Ecocentric art projects
What does it mean to make an ecocentric art project? At Misty Hollow, we mean any project that operates within the limits of the property ecosystem in a sustainable way that benefits the environment. This could mean incorporating old farm junk from the property into a sculpture, digging a hole and making a pond, or weaving cut saplings of invasive shrubs into a structure for contemplation (the Human Nest by Madeline and Owen).
For example, Lindsey Peck Sherloum excavated clay by the residence. The area where the clay is located is a natural spring seep. Excavation was done under consultation. Lindsey then processed the wild clay, filtering out coal and limestone until the material was ready for public clay making activities. Lindsey is currently leading a series of free public activities in Lawrence county where participants consider where the clay comes from, and prompted to create small temporary monuments to the Slippery Rock Creek, water, and the local environment. These temporary unfired clay monuments will be placed on the property and eventually erode. Some may have seeds or moss embedded in them that will gradually imbed themselves where the monument was placed.
To help Lindsey with the development and activation of her project, Misty Hollow introduced her to many helpful organizations and consultants including: Asia Ward, Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration, The Hoyt Center for Arts and Education, New Castle Public Library, PennOhio Clay Guild, and certified arborist Jen Senchak of Restoreth Roots, LLC.
Managing impacts from climate change and humans
Ongoing projects include those that directly effect the property’s health. Misty Hollow has been timbered multiple times in it's history, and the inconsiderate dumping of branches and impact from the quick and dirty building of logging roads without proper drainage control has caused the redirection of springs, erosion, mudslides, and flooding. Climate change contributes to the problem with increasing flood rains and drought. This causes sudden over saturation, which topples over 200 year old trees by the roots. Since much of the property is sloped, this causes a cyclical chain reaction of more tree uprooting, toppling other trees, then more mudslides, etc. The timbering also encouraged widespread invasive plants, which block out the light or smother native plants. In some cases, this perpetuates erosion.
Due to climate change and human impact, many pests and diseases of trees, plants, and animals have been introduced. This includes the hemlock woolly adelgid, an aphid-like insect from Asia that attacks and kills North American hemlocks. In a stable climate, the below freezing weather and snow during PA winters would eliminate the spread.
One of the slopes of the property was used as a dumping ground for the Bubb farm homestead, with glass, metal, and plastic artifacts.
Misty Hollow is working with knowledgeable experts to help mediate the negative impacts.
If you are interested in leading an experimental land use project not connected to an artist residency, please contact mistyhollowartistresidency@gmail.com
Protecting and restoring habitat
An ongoing project of Misty Hollow is to develop paths and human living spaces in a sustainable and eco conscious way. This is where most of the Land Lab “experimental land use” is employed! Most of the work is trial and error, even with the generous help from professionals. Many of the experiments are based on the research and proven success from state parks and other off grid homesteaders. We receive expertise from Slippery Rock University, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Restoreth Roots, Macoskey Center for Education and Sustainable Research, as well as local professionals in the field.
Misty Hollow also strives to protect and improve the habitat of threatened or endangered plants and creatures.