How do you connect to the Retreat Farm trails?
Trail Magic is a collaborative art installation that was created in community partnership by local artist, Amber Paris. The final artwork is installed on the Retreat Farm trails on a spur trail between the forest playground and the upper pasture. Folks were invited to share why these trails are important to them. Amber embedded excerpts of these responses on a fiber installation that spanned all the seasons on the trail and at the farm. Amber was helped in constructing the seasonal banners through quilting bees that were held over the late Winter months of 2025. An accompanying book documents the full responses and images she received in response to this creative community project- you can find copies at the farm or read the full responses below.
This project is made possible with the generous support of the Arts Council of Windham County Brattleboro Town Arts Fund.
The responses below were gathered by the artist through outreach at the Retreat Farm, during Gallery Walk, through social media and email invitations, via QR code engagement at the trail kiosks and at the Boys and Girls Club aftercare program at the farm.
Excerpts of the responses are embedded in the installation.
