The Cosmos will endure, but Carousel Cosmos on Portland’s Western Promenade, in partnership with TEMPOart, was always intended as a TEMPO-rary public art installation.

All seven of these carved animal benches will remain on Portland’s Western Promenade until November 8th of 2024. Before that time, I hope to arrange loving new homes for each future-former carousel animal — profiled below.

Future homes for these animal benches must be indoors. They are made of carefully joined, carved and painted Ash wood. Ash is a fantastically dense, tough and durable hardwood, native to Maine. Traditionally it’s been used to make axe handles and baseball bats. Unfortunately, it is not weather-resistant in the long-term.

As temporary art installations become more popular, the question more often arises:

What does one do with temporary art, after?

In order to make the most of the budget and timeline for Carousel Cosmos, as well as to minimize the carbon footprint of its materials, I made these animals from a tough, renewable, and abundant native hardwood.

As indoor seating, with minimal maintenance, nothing would prevent them for lasting indefinitely — even in the busiest of public spaces.

Can you or your organization provide a loving indoor home to a carousel animal that once roamed here?

If so, please get in touch.

Chris Miller — [email protected]

We’re excited to share a special treat for all art lovers and creative minds! Local illustrator Victoria Gordon has designed a beautiful, free downloadable coloring page inspired by our monumental bamboo sculpture, Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People).

Now, you can bring the magic of this installation to life with your own colors. Whether you’re young or young at heart, this coloring page is a perfect way to connect with the joy and creativity that Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People) embodies.

Download your copy today, and don’t forget to share your masterpieces with us by tagging @tempoartmaine and @dancingforjoyportland on Instagram with #dancingforjoy. We can’t wait to see your vibrant creations!

About Victoria Gordon

Victoria Gordon is a multidisciplinary creative based in Biddeford. She brings a sharp eye, insatiable curiosity, a collaborative spirit, and out-of-the-box thinking to eye-catching illustrations, standout graphic design, memorable branding, or captivating photography.

Learn more about her work and offerings at her website.

On Sunday, July 21st, families flocked to the Back Cove Trail for an afternoon of excitement and exploration at the Birds of Back Cove Scavenger Hunt hosted with partner Portland Trails. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., kids and parents alike had a blast searching high and low for scavenger hunt items while keeping an eye out for the many bird species that call the area home.

Children had the chance to craft their own bird feeders, measure their “wingspans,” and even meet a youth bird expert who shared fascinating insights about our feathered friends.

Miss the event? Host your own exploration and use this free downloadable guide from Portland Trails!

The event kicked off and concluded at the stunning new “Dancing for Joy” installation, providing a beautiful backdrop for the day’s activities. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the Back Cove Trail was alive with laughter and learning. It was a perfect day to connect with nature and each other, and we can’t wait to do it all again!

See you at the next adventure on the Back Cove Trail!

COBALT Bioregional Learning Journey

September 11-17 2024

3-days of kayaking across CASCO Bay & 3-days of biking the watershed with representatives from orgnaizations committed to coastal conservation, resilience, and adaptation!

Want to see “Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People)” from a new angle, and consider the bioregional ecosystem of which Back Cove Trail is only a part?

We are thrilled to share this invitation from our partner COBALT Collaborative for Bioregional Action Learning & Transformation for a Bioregional Learning Journey September 11 – 17, 2024. The six-day experience is designed as one part expedition – and one part retreat to learn far more about who’s doing what/where and to what extent regarding coastal resilience – to map these actions to local climate action plans – to see if we are willing to collaborate on BIG IDEAS in the Casco Bay bioregion – such as large scale seagrass restoration – or tidal wetland/living shoreline demonstrations in places like Back Cove. Space is limited. Full schedule and registration link.

TEMPOart commissioned artist Pamela “Posey” Moulton along with Interim Executive Director Jess Muise are a part of TEAM ZOSTERA, Casco Bay’s Seagrass Stewards. Here in Casco Bay, and across the Gulf of Maine, eelgrass meadows (Zostera marina L.) are going through periods of BOOM and BUST.

This matters because they are the “keystone” habitat and are in need of our help to understand what is happening, why and what else can we do to help them thrive and expand. Interdisciplinary and collaborative, TEAM ZOSTERA includes divers, vessel captains, sea kayakers, mappers, engineers, artists, and people passionate about creative action to steward our shared home.

We are thrilled to share this video from Buoy Media capturing the creation, installation, and celebration of TEMPOart’s 2024-2025 temporary public art commission Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People).

Thanks to funding from the Maine Office of Tourism, we were able to commission Pete Fitz and the Buoy Media team. Thank you Visit Maine!

This summer, TEMPOart collaborated with The Telling Room to offer a Nature: Science, Art & Writing Camp for 16 youth ages 8-12. Through our education partnership, we engaged campers in a dynamic exploration of “Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People),” an installation at Back Cove in Portland by The Myth Makers, which TEMPOart commissioned.

Lead teaching artist Amy Kimball, who attended a hands-on workshop with The Myth Makers, brought these material skills and inquiry to the program, guiding the campers in activities that combined art, science, and creative writing.

This camp is one example of TEMPOart’s dedication to education and outreach partnerships that engage the community, particularly youth, in our work. By providing opportunities for hands-on learning and creative expression, we aim to inspire the next generation of artists, scientists, and thinkers, fostering a deeper connection to public art and the natural world around them.

TEMPOart was thrilled to be featured in Maine Home + Design’s beautiful publication in August 2024. Here is a stunning photo from Pete Fitz of Buoy Media and part of the article. You can read the full article here on Maine Home + Design’s website.

Photo: Pete Fitz of Buoy Media

“Visitors to Portland’s BACK COVE TRAIL will spot some new animal friends this summer: a pair of 20-foot-tall egrets performing their distinctive mating dance. The bamboo sculpture called Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People) is a temporary public art installation by internationally renowned artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein of THE MYTH MAKERS. According to TEMPOART, the nonprofit organization that commissioned the sculpture, “The collaboration between Dodson and Moerlein [grew] out of a mutual love of the wild: Dodson takes inspiration from the mysterious nature of birds that spark her imagination, and Moerlein takes inspiration from events in the natural world that leave visual marks and strike a narrative chord in the artist. Although monumental in scale, their ephemeral bamboo sculptures are temporary in nature. Made from natural materials, they are site specific and respond to their local audience.” Dancing for Joy will be on display until 2026.”

Thanks to Munjoy Hill News for covering the upcoming Portland Trails “Birds of Back Cove” Scavenger Hunt.

TEMPOart is proud to be partnering with Portland Trails on a brand-new family event, Birds of Back Cove Scavenger Hunt! On Sunday, July 21st, explore the Back Cove Trail like never before. You and your kids will search high and low for scavenger hunt items while counting the birds you see along the way. Your kids will also have the chance to make their own bird feeders, measure their “wingspans,” meet a youth bird expert, and more! The event starts and ends at our beautiful new Dancing for Joy installation on the Back Cove Trail.

See you there!

TEMPOart is thrilled that “Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People)” was featured in the first few seconds of a recent WCVB Channel 5’s program Chronicle program featuring the world class sports and arts here in Portland, ME!

TEMPOart is proud to be partnering with Portland Trails on a brand-new family event, Birds of Back Cove Scavenger Hunt! On Sunday, July 21st, explore the Back Cove Trail like never before. You and your kids will search high and low for scavenger hunt items while counting the birds you see along the way. Your kids will also have the chance to make their own bird feeders, measure their “wingspans,” meet a youth bird expert, and more! The event starts and ends at our beautiful new Dancing for Joy installation on the Back Cove Trail. See you there!

Birds of Back Cove Scavenger Hunt

Sunday, July 21st from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Back Cove Trail

Ticket prices:

• Adults (18+) – $10
• Kids (3+) – $15
• Kids 2 and under – free

Reduced ticket price information: Is cost a barrier for your family? Please reach out to Bailey ([email protected]) for additional options.