August 13, 2019

This blog entry for Americans for the Arts addresses the Camp Ground project and also ideas about working with people through community based work. I was asked to talk more about the project as a result of the national honor from the Public Art Network for the valise project with the women of Camp 13 who are trained as firefighters.

Kim Abeles and the Firefighting Women of Camp 13 / Valise 2 - Tools from the series, Valises for Camp Ground: Arts, Corrections, and Fire Management in the Santa Monica Mountains 2018 Hand constructed “backpack” valise made with Cordura, Velvet, Clay miniatures of firefighting tools, Embroidered names of each position on a fire crew, brass hardware Size: Closed: 23” x 10” x 14” Open: 10” x 167” x 22" This inaugural Camp Ground project with inmates from Camp 13 was managed by the Armory Center for the Arts, with Kim Abeles as the first commissioned artist. Camp Ground: Arts, Corrections, and Fire Management in the Santa Monica Mountains is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
Kim Abeles and the Firefighting Women of Camp 13 / Valise 2 - Tools from the series, Valises for Camp Ground: Arts, Corrections, and Fire Management in the Santa Monica Mountains 2018 Hand constructed “backpack” valise made with Cordura, Velvet, Clay miniatures of firefighting tools, Embroidered names of each position on a fire crew, brass hardware Size: Closed: 23” x 10” x 14” Open: 10” x 167” x 22" This inaugural Camp Ground project with inmates from Camp 13 was managed by the Armory Center for the Arts, with Kim Abeles as the first commissioned artist. Camp Ground: Arts, Corrections, and Fire Management in the Santa Monica Mountains is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.