Cave

With a grant from the Arkansas Heritage Commission and Arkansas Arts Council, I built a cave at the Illinois River Watershed Learning Center. I also sculpted plants and animals that live in and near a cave. There is a cave in Cave Springs, Arkansas across the street from the Learning Center. People are not allowed in the cave because of the brown nose syndrome in bats. Also, because the cave is home to the largest known population of the endangered blind cavefish. The cave I made was to help educate people about caves and the inhabitants that live in and near caves since they can’t experience the real cave. School classes tour the Watershed all year long. Children really love crawling through the tunnel I built. Some adults do too! It is a joy for me to see children climb through the tunnel and having so much fun.
Sculptural materials used were many. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam, spray foam, concrete, fiberglass mesh, clay, paint, faux plant material, and more.

Contributed by: Becky Christenson
Created by: Becky Christenson
Origin: Constructed at the Illinois River Watershed Learning Center, Cave Springs, AR