Transition Happening

1 barn. 5 artists. 8 days.

By Krystle J. Bailey

One unforgettable week of art celebration in the heart of South Jersey.

Transition Happening, a pop-up art exhibit held at Reed’s Organic Farm and Animal Sanctuary, took place January 11th-18th. Inspired by both practicality and passion for the arts, the Transition Happening art exhibit served as a creative way to clear out the pole barn at Reed’s to make way for groundbreaking renovations coming later this year.

Caroline “Cookie” Till, owner of Steve and Cookie’s By The Bay and Ventnor No. 7311, took over the Egg Harbor Township farmland in March 2020 along with partners, Lenny Varvaro and Beth Senay. Operating under their non-profit organization, “A Meaningful Purpose,” Till and team transitioned Reed’s into an organic, regenerative farm focused on serving the local community.

As part of the renovations, the main pole barn will be transitioned into a market center that will serve as the hub of the farm. Complete with a coffee shop, commercial kitchen, outdoor brick pizza oven, farm market and more, guests will soon be able to gather in a homestyle kitchen atmosphere at the center of Reed’s Organic Farm and Animal Sanctuary.

In preparation for the upcoming changes, Cookie Till took a unique approach of cleaning out the pole barn, honoring what was, and moving towards what is yet to come. Till reached out to Brandon Abercrombie who works and lives on the farm to help curate a pop-up art exhibit that would temporarily reimagine the space in the form of larger-than-life art. From there, it was a whirlwind of creativity that brought together a magical art experience for everyone involved.

Brandon, along with artists, Charles Barbin, Randi Meekins, Jon Baker, and Todd DiCiurcio came together in what the artists have explained as, “a life changing experience, “a magical week,” and “ a wave, a ripple, and a pivot that reminded everyone that art is so necessary, especially during these times.”

From concept to creation, the team worked tirelessly to clear out the pole barn that right up until Christmas, still had pigs living in it. Cookie Till offered the artists freedom to create however they pleased. She only asked that they use the farm as inspiration, an idea that the artists took to heart and ran with beautifully.

“In my mind, they surpassed what I thought imaginable. It wasn’t just about bringing in paintings. They really worked together to create something beautiful,” shared Till.

The artists sought to create an artistic representation of what was happening at the farm physically, as well as the changes in the community that surrounds the farm. They foraged the land for scraps, hidden gems, and recyclable materials that could be used to create. From using an abandoned tractor as a main piece of architecture for the exhibit, to reimagining the ceiling of the pole barn using tractor marks from the floor and parachute cloth, calling it “The Footprints of the Farm.”

Jon Baker’s excitement was palpable as he described the road that led to the art show, “For the first time in 35 years, here I was playing in the woods and taking old farm pieces to make art. Not only were we taking the tractor from the woods, but we took 500 pieces of greenhouse glass to repurpose. We were creating. We were discovering. It was a life changing experience.”

After eight days of round-the-clock creating, it was time for the big reveal. With Covid precautions in place, the doors of the agriculturally inspired, magnificent art exhibit opened. Welcoming 10 guests at a time, the artists hosted eight days of an intimate art experience. Guests were invited to purchase art and make contributions to the farm, which works on a donation based system. Attendees described the space as “thoughtful, peaceful, soothing, and awe inspiring.”

Final works included Brandon Abercombie’s piece, a 18-foot tall wooden sculpture that paid homage to Colin Kaepernick’s stance against racial injustice.

“I was fascinated with Kaepernick’s statement – the courage to do something so bold when he knew he could lose everything. He was essentially saying to the world that we have to do better. We have to find a better way of doing things, which is universal and can be applied to anything. What we are doing at the farm is risky in its own right. Our commitment to being organic and regenerative risks losing half or more of our crops. However, we have a ‘people over profit’ approach to farming. That’s what is best for the community, the animals, and the environment.”

Artist Jon Baker took his inspiration from Covid lockdown when neighbors were hanging rainbows in their window to inspire hope. His display was made of collected driftwood, symbolizing keeping out bad energy to make way for good things to come. Baker, along with Todd DiCiurcio created a rainbow in what they called “the room of life.” The room of life was a 10 x 20’ room where all the animals on the farm had been raised, signifying the life cycle of all things. Baker and DiCiurcio turned an abandoned animal feeder into a centerpiece light that illuminated every corner of the barn. The light became known as “Phantom Harvest Canon Ignition Frequency.”

“The photo op that I envisioned included foraged wood chips used to keep weeds from growing into the rows of crops, literally keeping the bad from encroaching into the good. Emerging from the abyss of covid lockdowns, I included a rainbow of love and hope,” explained Baker.

Each artist expressed a deep gratitude and admiration for the mastermind behind the project, Cookie Till.

“She has a magnetism about her where she draws the best out of people in our community,” explained Jon Baker.

“Cookie just understands how to create magic . She really is an angel,” shared DiCiurcio who also created two other art displays for the exhibit.

DiCiurcio’s work included a recycled shutter that was reimagined to look like a piece of machinery with hydraulic fluid and colorful flowers. Additionally, DiCiurcio found a unique opportunity to combine art mediums with his furnace inspired piece that featured panels of murals he had painted along with his sculpture work.

Todd DiCiurcio’s wife, Megan, played an integral role in the event. Working behind the scenes on anything from expenses and cleaning to priming pieces for painting, marketing the event, and cooking food. Megan was described as “the muse” of the entire event.

“People have been craving this. I don’t feel like this is the end of something, I feel it’s just the beginning. Art will be such an important part of the farm. Cookie is such an extraordinary human and visionary,” remarks Megan DiCiurcio.

Randi Meekins and Charles Barbin worked together on their homage to the animals on the farm as well as the “Footprints of the Farm” tractor print display that took over the airspace inside the barn. Using a combination of unique stamping techniques, the pair created a brightly colored, wall-length mural that featured the actual animals that walk the grounds at Reed’s.

Meekins and Barbin were the masterminds behind the repurposed use of parachute cloth that created a new ambiance in the airspace of the pole barn.

“We wanted to take advantage of the rafters. We knew what would be taking up the floor space but there was this amazing space to create in the air as well,” remarked Barbin.

With five brilliant, artistic minds in one small space along with an invitation to freely create, magic took over and unforgettable art came to life. In a matter of eight short days, an extraordinary artistic experience took place on Reed’s Organic Farm. One that gave back to the community, filled the souls of the creatives that participated, and opened a door to what is sure to become a beautiful future in Egg Harbor Township.

Several pieces will remain as permanent fixtures on the farm, which remains open all year including winter farm market hours.

With much more to anticipate at Reed’s Organic Farm and Animal Sanctuary, we look forward to the future of sustainable farming and community outreach during a time when connection, community, and love mean everything.

Visit Reed’s on social media or at www.ReedsOrganicFarm.org.