A smiley surprise awaits drivers on Oregon 18 every fall. In rural Polk County, Oregon, drivers travelling along Hwy 18 will encounter this delightful installation- a giant smiley face- designed and planted by Hampton Lumber in 2011. It appears every fall when the larch trees’ needles change color to yellow-orange while the douglas fir trees- …
Author: Ruth Grayson
10-12-2022 ~ Virtual Museum Trips for Mental Health
When it is challenging to leave your home, it can be beneficial to your health to bring certain activities to you, like a virtual museum trip! A recent Canadian study showed a strong connection between a virtual museum visit and an increase in mental and physical health and a decrease in social isolation and “frailty” …
10-05-2022 ~ Preserving Preposterous Places for Posterity
Have you ever stumbled across a place that was unique, undeniably creative or otherwise just plain weird? There’s a good chance it has been documented in the SPACES archive and if it hasn’t, you could help document it! These fascinating locations are called Art Environments. Here’s how the SPACES website defines the term: WHAT DOES …
09-29-2022 ~ Spotlight: Cats of San Bernardino
Each month, we like to spotlight the good work being done by a nonprofit organization and this month we’re celebrating the many feline lives saved by Cats of San Bernardino. Before we go further into the story of Cats of San Bernardino, we do want to give a content warning regarding their social media: as …
08-31-2022 ~ Tee Up Sustainable Fashion
Building their own “circular economy” has led Teemill to pioneer truly sustainable t-shirt printing in a global, scalable way. A truckload of clothes is burned or buried in a landfill every second, and slowing the fast fashion industry won’t solve the problem. The founders of Teemill were determined to address this issue. According to their …
08-24-2022 ~ Hero Cat Saves Owner!
While many pet owners will say that their pets have saved them metaphorically, British cat owner Sam Falstead can say that hers actually saved her life! Billy, a British shorthair who is normally not a lap cat, woke his human in the middle of the night and she realized she was unable to move and …
07-20-2022 ~ Stunning Stellar Shots
Back in January, we shared our excitement about the James Webb telescope, the “Gold-Plated Marvel”… now we get to gaze in amazement at the stunning images that have been sent back. From its vantage point about 1 million miles from Earth, the telescope– the biggest and most sensitive to have been launched into space to …
07-06-2022 ~ Spotlight: Piece by Piece
Empowering economically insecure people through arts education and training, LA-based nonprofit Piece by Piece has been creating change since 2007. The connection between mental health and creative expression has long been documented in study after study about the impact arts programs can have on those who are struggling mentally and emotionally. The nonprofit Piece by …
06-29-2022 ~ Going Beyond The Call Of Duty
Video games, once dismissed as mindless entertainment at best and a danger to society at worst, have instead emerged as an opportunity for education, connection and philanthropy. The military game Call of Duty, released in 2003 to universal acclaim, introduced World War II’s history to a new generation. The on-going series holds the Guinness World …
06-15-2022 ~ Spotlight: The Trevor Project
For over two decades, The Trevor Project has made it their mission to prevent suicides among LGBTQIA+ youth and to work towards a world where all young people see a bright future for themselves. The crisis of LGBTQ teens is well-documented today, thanks in part to 2 of the 5 programs run by The Trevor …