The Outside Place
“The Outside Place” was my first large-scale installation, and it was so much fun! Here are a few of my favorite photos from this project.
The Original Proposal:
What if we took a closer look at this Outside Place called Chehalem?
What if we paused for a moment to really observe the beauty growing under our feet and over our heads here in Mama Nature’s wonderland? What if we listened to the Native tribespeople and the farmers and the herbalists and the gardeners and the children, and learned more about the magic this land has to offer?
I’ve got a plan. Let’s bring it inside. Let’s take a closer look.
Dreams for the back lobby
Dreams for the front entrance
Let’s build an interactive community sculpture at the Chehalem Cultural Center out of dried branches, herbs and flowers. We’ll be collecting Nature’s abundance from the people of Chehalem. It’s so fun to see what we each notice - different plants speak to different people.
Let’s watch this land move through it’s growing season - from camellias, daffodils and hellebore to dahlias, roses and lavender. I’m thrilled to help more of us see it, touch it, smell it, feel it, and CREATE with it.
Who am I?
My name is Amanda Bayha, and I moved to Newberg from Southeast Portland in 2014. As we settled in to the Chehalem Valley, I remember describing this place like “living in a postcard.” The hills, the trees, the crops, the birds, the parks, the sunsets… the beauty was surreal and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.
Schaad Park
Mother Nature definitely has a direct line to Chehalem.
A couple of years ago, I dried our lavender and hydrangeas on the back patio. Then I started experimenting with other flowers we grew, like Crocosmia and Black Eyed Susan. When I noticed perfectly good yard debris going to waste in my neighbor’s bins… things really got interesting.
A few clothes lines of hanging flowers turned into a full-blown flower drying operation in our garage.
I loved the idea of extending the life of so many flowers that bloom for such a brief moment in real time… pausing them and creating art with them so they could live inside with me for a while longer. I was fascinated by how their phases continued long after most people would consider them to be “done.”
Fresh Peony
Dried Peony
“Flower Taxidermy” became my new favorite hobby. Once word got out that I was collecting blooms for my creations, they came pouring in. People came out of the woodwork to contribute the cool stuff they grew in their space. People started seeing their “weeds” with fresh eyes and got excited to share what they were noticing.
Teasel
I’ve run out of space to hold it all - which is where the Chehalem Cultural Center comes in. I’m so excited to get to work on this project and watch where it takes all of us.
What’s the plan?
The plan is to follow Mother Nature’s lead. I’ve brought my initial vision to life, and plan to go with the flow and play with whatever our community contributes to the project. Even with all of my experience, I trust that I’ve only scratched the surface of what this land has to show us.
My flower friends and I will share tips and tricks for drying flowers at home. We’ll call on others with knowledge to share about the origins, folklore and medicinal properties of the prominent plants in our area. We’ll slow down for a minute and tune in to Nature’s processes, cycles, and abundance.
Rhododendron, Hornbeam and Medrone branches wrapped with rosemary
We’ll be receiving fresh and dried goodies from the public soon. Drying racks and lines will be set up inside the front entrance of the Cultural Center, and the sculpture will take shape in the back lobby from April through October. Ideas are still swirling and workshops will soon pop up on the CCC’s schedule, so stay tuned.
The sculpture is open for viewing and sniffing whenever the CCC is open, so come take a look and watch it grow!
Get Involved
We’ve already got a few local artists, farms and supporters who’ve stepped up to help us out, and we want to include as many plants and humans as possible with this project!
Do you have lots of rosemary that needs trimmed? I use rosemary and other herbs for the base structure of most of these pieces, and will be on the hunt for LOTS of it.
Are you a local flower farmer with extra blooms to share? Or maybe hops? Grapevine? Grass? We’ll turn it all into something!
Can you help us build drying racks? Can you share your knowledge of the plants growing in our area? Can you take fancy photos of the goodness at the CCC and share it with others? Would you like to have a drying rack at home for you and your family to play with?
Have you got any other cool ideas to share?
If you’ve got Nature’s goodies or other skills and resources to contribute, please introduce yourself with the form below and we’ll be in touch.