The Word Garden is located outside the Sage Library Kathy Roberts
If a picture paints a thousand words, then how many pictures can you create with 150 words? Spend some time in Bay City's Word Art Garden and you may learn the answer.
Recently, the Word Art Garden opened at the
Sage Branch Library, 100 E. Midland St. The circular garden sits at the edge Pershing Park, which is grassy expanse next to the library.
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If you can't find the right words, then bring a painted rock from home to donate to the collection.The circular, stone garden is a collaborative effort by the
Bay County Library System and
Studio 23/The Arts Center, says Tara Welch, Studio 23 Executive Director. Donors including the
Friends of the Bay County Libraries provided the money for the work.
Bay Landscaping built the structure, which is surrounded by plants.
Kawkawlin Stone donated 150 rocks, which volunteers from the community and employees from the library system decorated with colorful paint and individual words.
Visitors are encouraged to step inside the circle and arrange the rocks into sentences. Recent sentences include "Support Dad Taco Day," "Look Happy Taco Cat," and "Hot Beautiful Rain."
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The public is invited to move the rocks around, creating new sentences and inspiring others. They ask that the rocks remain in the garden.Welch says the rocks will be available year-round. The public is encouraged to paint and donate more rocks for the garden.
Outdoor events also may take place in the garden. On May 22, a
Community Justice Read discussion takes place inside the garden.
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Kathy Roberts, a graduate of Central Michigan University, moved to Bay City in 1987 to start a career in the newspaper industry. She was a reporter and editor at the Bay City Times for 15 years before leaving to work at the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Covenant HealthCare, and Ohno Design. In 2019, she returned to her storytelling roots as the Managing Editor of Route Bay City. When she’s not editing or writing stories, you can find her reading books, knitting, or visiting the bars of Bay County. You can reach Kathy at
editor@RouteBayCity.com