Our Fellow Residents is a participatory public art project I created for the Jantzen Beach RV Park and Mobile Home community on Hayden Island, Oregon, through the PARK Arts AIR (Artist-in-Residence) program founded by park resident Shelbie Loomis. The installation, held on July 30, 2022, reflects the experiences of an aging community, the unique identity of park residents, and the ecology of the Pacific Northwest riverbank.

The artwork features a series of paper lanterns, each designed with foraged plants from the park site. These lanterns preserve the vibrant colors, textures, and forms of seasonal summer blooms, honoring the local landscape. Installed on a resident’s deck overlooking the Columbia River, the lanterns illuminated a gathering space where residents regularly watch sunsets and connect with one another.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, isolation has deeply impacted the senior population, both in Oregon and nationwide. However, the residents at Hayden Island RV Park have found community solace by gathering for shared meals, games, and collective moments by the river. Designed specifically for this aging community, Our Fellow Residents provided an opportunity to reconnect with nature and one another through collaborative art-making.

Located on an island with limited public green spaces—only one small park serves over 2,155 residents, along with an influx of 5,000 seasonal boat owners—Hayden Island RV Park offers essential recreational space and preserves the local ecosystem. Our Fellow Residents fosters inter-generational dialogue and a connection between residents and local plant life, bridging contemporary social artistic practice with a community often underserved by such initiatives.

Artist-in-Residence: Gilian Rappaport
PARK Arts AIR Founder + Director: Shelbie Loomis
Participants: Madonna Moran, Fenyz Wolfe, Cheryl Gannaway, Sam Churchill, Eliza Smith, Shelbie Loomis, Jenny Cruz, Mauwi Skeers, Julie Pulliam, Tom Dana, Gavin, Carol
Photographs by: Sam Churchill