Musicians, Artists, Community & Collaborations
Written by Rachel Wohlander
October 13, 2017

Well friends, it was wonderful to see some of you in Oakland last week at our Benefit Concert. A huge thank you to those of you who came out! Having people like you in our community affirms everything we’ve been working to create, so thank you for your friendship and support. We also want to thank The Uptown for hosting us, and the top-notch musicians who played such stellar sets: The Gold SoulsSteven Lugerner’s SLUGish Ensemble and Hannah Mayree. We had so much fun dancing the night away with you. We thought it was a pretty magical evening, and from what we’ve heard from those in attendance, we’re not alone in the sentiment. It’s not every day you get to be dazzled by such talented and eclectic musicians—so if you missed the show, you should definitely check out these bands! You’re welcome. : )

As you know, we’ve been home-based in San Diego as we get Terra Cultura off the ground, but we’re looking to make our home closer to the Bay Area soon. The land hunt continues, and we’ll know more soon! In the meantime, some San Diego farms have been gracious enough to let us test out some of our program ideas. Our programs aim to weave together these: agriculture, art, education, community-building & empowerment, and environmental stewardship. So when Coastal Roots Farm at Leichtag Foundation asked us to collaborate with them on an art project for the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, we said yes! Sukkot has always been one of my favorite holidays in the lunar calendar for its ties to natural cycles and the land. Traditions surrounding this holiday involve harvest feasting and sleeping in temporary 3-sided huts, with one side open to welcome the hungry stranger, and the roof open to the stars. Some of the symbolism relates plants to body parts, reminding us to align our senses and selves to the land and its cycles.

So, this is all to say: whether we’re dancing with you to amazing music, collaborating with you on art installations, growing food, or growing community, we are so grateful for the people on this journey with us. Thank you! And keep up the good work.

Terra Cultura has no religious affiliation, of course, but these were lovely universal ideas we could get behind. So what did we do? We commissioned four spectacular artists to design installations that were featured at the Sukkot Festival at Coastal Roots Farm on Oct. 8th. The artists weaved together the mystical symbols of Sukkot into creative receptacles that will be displayed and treasured for years to come. We want to thank participating artists Hannah Gelb, Jason Salleh,Tesia Summers and Sarah Day for creating such beautiful pieces and sharing their gifts with the community. Here’s a taste of what they created:

 

So, this is all to say: whether we’re dancing with you to amazing music, collaborating with you on art installations, growing food, or growing community, we are so grateful for the people on this journey with us. Thank you! And keep up the good work.

Written by Rachel Wohlander

Rachel Wohlander is a co-founder, and the executive director of culture and education at Terra Cultura. She is an interdisciplinary artist and educator with a background in performing arts and creative writing.

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