Miles 91-103 | “Letter for the Future River” by Ally Eden and Alysia Kraft
The Poudre River has been the reason for human activity in this area since long before the City of Fort Collins* was established. Rivers provide shelter, resources, allow for the transportation of goods and people, and supply both drinking water and a steady source of food. For many, the Poudre continues to be a key motivator in the decision to call this place “home.” As residents of Fort Collins, we cannot untether our past, present, or future from the Poudre River. The Poudre is our lifeline, playscape, and place of respite and beauty. The Poudre River is, in essence, a living entity as fragile as any other, to which our future is inextricably bound. In thinking about the future of our city, our families, and our friends, we must also think about the future of our river. Help us to write a letter to the future river that acknowledges our long-standing relationship with it.
Instructions:
1. Open the blue luggage box.
2. Use the slips and Sharpies provided to write your thoughts. See below for prompts.
3. Tie your slip to the copper nest.
4. Take a selfie (optional, but fun…)
Feel free to use a sample prompt below or feel free to write your own:
Dear Future River,
• The first time I met you…
• Remember when we…
• I will miss….
• I am excited to….
• My hope for you is…
Community contributions will be collected at the end of the 3-month exhibition and composed into a collective poem and accompanying audio track available for all to enjoy and reflect upon. Stay tuned!
*This segment of the Year of the River installation represents the stretch of river that passes through the City of Fort Collins.
Ally Eden:Ally Eden is Fort Collins 2022-2024 Poet Laureate and a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on poetry, performance, and participatory art. She actively seeks out interdisciplinary projects with artists/musicians and new ways to bring together diverse identities and artistic forms. Blurring the line between spectator and creator, Ally invites all to a shared exploration of themes like human connection and ecology, intimacy, activism, and nonconformity. You can see her work by following her on instagram, attending one of her community events, or booking her for your next poetry reading. When she’s not working with her own words, she’s relaying them for others as an English/Spanish translator.
Alysia Kraft:Alysia Kraft is an artist better known in Fort Collins as the award-winning songwriter and front person for bands Whippoorwill and The Patti Fiasco, but prior to a love affair with live performance and grassroots touring, Alysia received a BFA in painting and sculpture from the University of Wyoming and pined for an existence involving mostly time and space to paint. Kraft grew up on a third generation working ranch in southwestern Wyoming, and across artistic disciplines, nature and metaphor are integral elements to her storytelling. On June 17, 2022, Kraft will be releasing her debut solo album, a shimmering indie pop collection of 10 songs autobiographically built against a big Western backdrop titled First Light. This project was born from a deep love and connection to the Poudre River and a desire to create and collaborate across disciplines with an artist she SO loves and respects (Ally Eden).WEBSITE | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE | INSTA | FB |
