Trail invitation project combines art, nature in Price Hill

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - If you are looking for an outdoor activity that is free and fun for the entire family, a new project at Imago in Price Hill brings hiking and artwork together.

“The whole idea is to create these invitations to the trails,” Imago Executive Director Chris Clements explained. “It’s called the trail invitation project. Art is one big piece of these trail invitations. But we’re also going to put nature study stations like a bird feeding station, pollinator gardens, a bug hotel. But we’re also thinking about putting in what we call sacred spaces. Places where people can do mindfulness and meditation. So, all these things are growing all with the intention of spending time out here.”

Imago is an outdoor education organization that promotes a healthy planet and people, especially when the two align.

The trail invitation project asked local artists to create a work of art on the trails that are part of Imago that fit with the landscape and display elements of sustainability.

“Art can be a gateway to getting out in nature,” Clements said. “Oftentimes, art and nature go hand-in-hand, so we thought wouldn’t it be great to have art pieces on our trails as a way to invite people to come and see us and spend more time in nature.”

There are five pieces of art displayed including Camp Washington Lath Gongshi, Reclaimed by the Beast, Seasons of the Midwest, Transitions and 21 Creatures.

“Andy and Hannah [the artists] wanted to create a piece that showed a sense of fun and playfulness of creatures in the woods,” Clements said. “So they built this hut which is made of honeysuckle that was cut down from this site and they built these cool plastic fused creatures that are hanging around that are colorful pieces and those are made of old plastic political signs and things like that.”

After a year, Imago hopes to remove these pieces of art and install all new ones from local artists.

The trails at Imago are always free and can be found at 700 Enright Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45205.

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