Have you seen the big Buddha sculptures sticking out of the ground all over Evanston?

Have you seen these big Buddha sculptures sticking out the ground around Evanston and wondered what they were? Here is some background from Indira Johnson's project blog at http://tenthousandripples.wordpress.com/about/: Ten Thousand Ripples (TTR) is a multi-platform public art project. Think sculpture, community engagement activities, art residencies, an interactive website, and a citywide culminating exhibition, all rolled into one. We’ve designed it so that artists, neighborhood leaders, and residents are at the center of this community-driven planning and public involvement effort.

This weekend my son spotted two of the sculptures and we're going to spend next weekend on our bicycles finding all of them! Below are some events you can participate in around Evanston as part of this project:

Art and Peace at Bridge Street

Evanston Ecology Center Sunday, April 14th 1:00 – 3:00pm

Work with well known Evanston artists Alice George, Sue Sommers and Claire Alden.

Participate in the Japanese tradition of Tanabata where in we will write our wishes for peace on colorful, strips of paper and hang them on tree branches along Bridge Street.

Bridging Differences is part of the Ten Thousand Ripples (TTR) Public Art Project that uses art as a catalyst to foster dialog about peace and non-violence. Evanston is one of ten communities; the only one outside of Chicago, participating in TTR.

This is the 1st of four Ten Thousand Ripples Arts based workshops "Bridging Differences"

4/14 Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd., Evanston, Claire Alden, calden@cityofevanston.org Phone 847 448 8805
4/21 at Grey Park, 1-5 pm We Are One Community, Janet Beals, janet@openstudioproject.org
4/25 at Family Focus from 5-7pm, Sandy Williams, Sandy.Williams@family-focus.org
5/4 at Twiggs Park from 1-4pm, Indira Johnson, mailto:indirajohnson@comcast.net

Ten Thousand Ripples www.tenthousandripples.com
Changing Worlds www.changingworlds.org/

Ten Thousand Ripples is supported by contributions from the Friends of the Arts Fund of the Evanston Community Foundation, the Weisblat Family Foundation, Albert Pick, Jr. Fund; the Chicago Community Trust; the Field Foundation of Illinois; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; the Lumpkin Family Foundation; the Raven Foundation; the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; Target; and a host of generous individuals.