Art is Natural Building

Kiko Denzer, a huge influence of mine, was interviewed on a the Podcast “Building Sustainably,” and I was so inspired that I wanted to share.  I paraphrased some of his words and added my own to give voice to what it is that I am trying to accomplish in 2020...I hope you join me in my adventure :)
To make Art is an activity fundamental to being human. Natural building traditionally was, and had to be, a communal experience, one where people used all their skills and talents to ONE end.

Natural Building is ART! 
The word ART actually means, “to fit together,” and natural building is a beautiful representation of this human expression. The human need to create art, and the human need to exist in community go hand in hand.  If you can’t contribute to the making of the community-- the natural building or the cob oven, for example--you’re not really living, you don’t “fit” in with your fellow humanity. I recognize that our current economic culture has entrained my subconscious programming to live by unsustainable and undesirable ideals:  Separation over Connection, Best price over Craftsmanship and Art, Consumption over Contribution, Mine versus Ours...In order to reverse some of these deep seated beliefs that are not leading me where I want to go, I work to offer myself and others opportunities to relearn what I believe is innate to our humanness. 

This is what I try to do when leading a workshop such as building an earthen oven:  bring together a unique variety of inspired people, create ART together, feel what community building is actually like in a short timespan, and share PIZZA together in the END; and dream up ways to create Art, aka Community,  in the long term. My goal is to take what I learn from these experiences and build it into the reality of my actual day- to- day living experience. Can we achieve this? Can I achieve this?

Slowly and consciously, natural building has been the conduit where I can envision this reality being REAL.  As I learn more, and teach more about how to build simply, with natural materials, if I am willing to take risks and build things I’ve never built, take on projects that don’t have easy answers, inspire others to build too... then I feel like I am closing in on this human need burning within me: the need for art and community.  

I live by art and my ART varies: from parenting to wild foraging, to gardening. Teaching and mentoring. Writing. Building...  

Join me on this adventure..."The Cob Therapy Project" will aim this year of 2020 to build community in a radically transparent way. To connect more people to a deeper relationship with nature through the ART of natural building...Our first workshop posted for 2020 is on June 6th and June 7th building a Cob Pizza Oven in Dryden NY. Sign up and learn more by clicking on this link...