(PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
GARDEN … Volunteers sit with children during the Archbold Community Gardens Butterfly Art Workshop.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Young artists gathered at the Archbold Community Garden on Thursday, July 10, for a hands-on metal butterfly art workshop.
The event gave children the opportunity to create their own colorful pieces of garden art to take home, blending creativity with time spent outdoors in one of the community’s most inviting green spaces.
Organized by the Archbold Community Garden, the Thursday workshop was the first youth art event of the season for the nonprofit group, which has been working to introduce more creative opportunities alongside its ongoing gardening and education efforts.
According to Tera Rogers, the goal is to bring more children into the space by offering fun and accessible ways to engage with both nature and art.
“This is a place for everyone, especially kids,” Rogers said. “They can run, play, explore, and now they can create something beautiful while they’re here.”
The children’s area of the garden has grown in recent years and was inspired in part by Karson, a young boy who loved both gardening and art. In his memory, the garden has placed a special emphasis on offering art-based opportunities for youth.
More hands-on art is on the way, with an upcoming watercolor workshop that will allow kids to paint using pigments made from real flowers and plants, continuing the garden’s unique blend of nature and artistic discovery. Past events have drawn as many as 40 children, a testament to the interest and enthusiasm from local families.
The Archbold Community Garden remains open to the public and encourages families to visit, play, and participate.
A weekly program, “Sprouting Explorers,” meets regularly and offers additional ways for children to engage with nature in a structured but playful setting. Additionally, volunteers are always welcome.
Currently, the garden is working to raise funds for a major accessibility initiative known as the pathway project.
The effort aims to add improved walking paths throughout the grounds, ensuring that visitors of all mobility levels can enjoy everything the garden has to offer.
For more information on upcoming events or to learn how to get involved or donate, visit archboldcommunitygarden.org or follow the garden on Facebook.