Waves || Roots

In the Fall of 2021 I connected with the Alleyway Art Project curator about a grant opportunity funded by Listos California. This Emergency Preparedness In Communities (EPIC) grant was available to artists working on educational projects targeting community awareness.

After meeting with regional organizations specializing in tsunami response and safety I developed a proposal focusing on conceptual interpretive design. My goal was to provide a series of pieces that inspired public interest through the use of wayfinding principles.

While there are many possible locations along the coast in the city of Fort Bragg, I knew that the Noyo Harbor District would be ideal for such a project. The environment provides powerful cues directly tied to the tsunami theme and was an area at high risk for surge damage. It is also an active destination for much of the community in addition to visiting tourists.

The process for Waves || Roots was multi-layered and complex.  I want to engage with the location by being present in ‘place and space’. This requires experiencing an environment and all the interactions happening there (place), along with observing emotions and thoughts related to those interactions (space). I most commonly document these observations in photos, videos, sketches, and written notes. I also researched existing educational tsunami resources and historical wayfinding materials.