NATURE AND ART AS MEDICINE is a day of healing activities and discovery at The Bixby Marshland. This one-day free event features family-friendly workshops, performances, and talks organized by extreme vocalist, improviser, sound and intermedia artist, Carmina Escobar. Participants will experience the natural environment of The Bixby while exploring their relationship with the voice, ways of listening, and learning about medicinal plants through activities facilitated by Escobar, HOWL Space, artists Jaime Scholnick and Alan Nakagawa, Liz Goetz, and Naturalist and LMU Drollinger Environmental Fellow, Lisa Fimiani.
NATURE AND ART AS MEDICINE is part of a community engagement series collaboration between Carmina Escobar and Jaime Scholnick – who was commissioned by LA County Department of Arts and Culture’s Civic Art Division to create an artwork for the new Inpatient Lobby of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
NATURE AND ART AS MEDICINE is produced by Boss Witch Productions, an artistic production company focused on the intersection of experimental sound art, ritual performance, video art, and transmedia collaboration within natural landscapes and unconventional performance sites.
Location
The Bixby Marshland is located at 24501 S Figueroa St, Carson, CA 90710. The entrance to the marshland is located on Figueroa Street, just south of Sepulveda Boulevard, on the west side of the street. An iron gate, not far from the corner of Figueroa and Sepulveda, leads into the parking lot. From the 110 Freeway, exit Sepulveda and head east to Figueroa Street. Turn right on Figueroa Street and turn right into the marshland.
Schedule
- 9:30 – 10AM: Opening Ceremony and Performance I, by Carmina Escobar: An opening performance and activation of the space by extreme vocalist, improviser, sound and intermedia artist Carmina Escobar
- 10 – 10:50AM: Bixby Birds Tour, facilitated by Lisa Fimiani: A walking tour led by naturalist Lisa Fimiani, exploring the sights and sounds of the Bixby’s many different birds
- 11 – 11:50AM: Vocal Workshop I, facilitated by HOWL SPACE: A vocal workshop led by HOWL SPACE, highlighting the connections between the voice and the fauna present at The Bixby. Through light physical warm-ups, breathing work, vocal games, and collective vocalizations the workshop aims to do somatic work via the voice in order to engage with one's body for better breathing, anxiety release, mind presence, and to bring community together in communion with nature.
- 12 – 12:50PM: Medicinal Plants Tour, facilitated by Lisa Fimiani: A walking tour led by naturalist Lisa Fimiani exploring the flora of The Bixby with focus on medicinal plants
- 1 – 1:50PM: Tea Time at the Bixby I, facilitated by Liz Goetz: A tea tasting with medicinal plants. In this session, you will taste delicious local teas and talk about the surrounding flora and its medicinal properties.
- 2 – 2:50PM: Artist Talk: Connecting Art, Nature, and Healing, by Jaime Scholnick: An intimate conversation with Jaime Scholnick and Carmina Escobar about the inspiration, process, and production of the commissioned mural for the lobby of the new inpatient building at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, followed by a participant Q&A.
- 3 – 3:50PM: Tea Time at the Bixby II, facilitated by Liz Goetz: A tea tasting with medicinal plants. In this session, you will taste delicious local teas and talk about the surrounding flora and its medicinal properties.
- 4 – 4:50PM: Vocal Workshop II, facilitated by HOWL SPACE: A vocal workshop led by HOWL SPACE, highlighting the connections between the voice and the fauna present at The Bixby. Through light physical warm-ups, breathing work, vocal games, and collective vocalizations the workshop aims to do somatic work via the voice in order to engage with one's body for better breathing, anxiety release, mind presence, and to bring community together in communion with nature.
- 5 – 5:30PM: Closing Ceremony and Performance II, by Carmina Esobar: An interactive performance by Carmina Escobar that may include Vocal Workshop participants singing or making sounds with Carmina from The Bixby bridge.
Ongoing events throughout the day from 10AM – 5PM:
- Listening as Medicine, facilitated by Alan Nakagawa: A Guided Nature Listening Walk by sound artist Alan Nakagawa. Participants will have the option to connect with Alan one-on-one throughout the day for a guided listening walk experience, or to take a self-guided listening walk using a score created to guide them through the landscape of the Bixby. Experience the Marshlands immersed in its sound and let it calm your body and your mind.
- Tea Station, facilitated by Liz Goetz: A self-serve tea tasting with medicinal plants and gathering place for participants to rest throughout the day.
- Sonic Massage, facilitated by HOWL SPACE: A continuous event throughout the day in which participants may receive a one-on-one healing sonic massage from a vocalist from HOWL SPACE