TOMS RIVER – There’s usually a lot of dead space in the outside area between wings of a school. At Intermediate South, they’ve filled it with life.
From tall windows in the hallway, kids can see color splash through. Instead of seeing stones and the hallway on the other side, there’s an oasis. And like any oasis, there’s more than meets the eye.
The entrance leads to a path through the art garden. Stepping stones wind around pretend waterfalls to a bridge that heads over a river.
The water wasn’t real, but made from any found blue objects, such as discarded blue toys. It does have a similar calming effect of a still pond, though, because people stop to see what’s in there. A child pointed out Chase from PAW Patrol and a Lego.
A lot of the blue was actually the tops to cleaning wipes that were used during the height of COVID-19, art teacher Jaime Fischer explained. That’s actually part of the lesson – that you can make art out of anything. It kept trash out of the landfill and made you look at it in a new way.
The longer you looked at something, the more you saw. A giant ladybug is actually plastic, which is hiding a toy where the wings open.
Fischer said that the art classes, especially the adaptive art classes, will spend time in here, making it an outdoor classroom.
The garden isn’t new, but it’s being renewed. A sign marks the Intermediate South Sculpture Garden as being started in 2015. Like any garden, it has to be tended, and the area had become overgrown with weeds.
The centerpiece is a new bridge constructed on site, funded by the Toms River Artist Community, which has galleries at 40 Main Street (Route 9) in the downtown area. Ace Hardware of Toms River donated all the painting supplies for student murals and the bridge painting.
“This project represents exactly what community partnership should look like,” said TRAC President MJ Torres. “When local organizations, businesses, educators, and students come together, we create opportunities that leave a lasting impact. We are honored to help bring this vision to life and provide students with a creative space they can enjoy for years to come.”
The bridge became a symbol of connection between members of the community, she said. There’s an added value in student artists creating this space with their minds and with their hands; it makes it personal and leaves a lasting legacy.
She thanked Intermediate South’s art educators, administration, students, Toms River High School South’s Spear-It program, and Toms River Ace Hardware for helping make this collaborative project a reality.
The garden and bridge were unveiled during a night when families were invited in to see the art students created, including paintings, sculptures and mixed media. Meanwhile, the “Kaleidoscope of Sound” had performances by the orchestra and chorus.
