Artists have been drawn to Rock Creek and Peirce Mill for decades. (1924 photo of an artist and friend in Rock Creek Park from the Library of Congress)
Covid-19 has prevented Rock Creek Park from inviting us over for Civil War history hikes, bird watching expeditions, milling demonstrations at Peirce Mill and other events. But it’s not stopping us from visiting and taking in the park’s history and natural beauty, and drawing creative inspiration from it.
Friends of Peirce Mill, the National Park Service, the Rock Creek Conservancy, and the Washington Studio School are inviting us to visit the park any time between Saturday, June 13th and Sunday, June 13th for “Create by the Creek.” It is, they say, “an invitation to make art inspired by the park we love.”
Find a safe, out of the way spot and create. The medium and the message are up to you. Draw or paint. Make a collage. Write a poem or song. Take a photo or record a video. And then, they ask that you share your artwork on social using the hashtags #createbythecreek, #rockcreekpark, #loverockcreek, and #summerintheparks.
Create by the Creek’s organizers were inspired, in part, by the 2019 Art Barn reunion, which celebrated the Peirce Mill visitors center’s previous use as an artists’ gallery and classroom space. Create by the Creek is on Instagram. You can also follow the event on Facebook.
The organizers remind us to practice social distancing when visiting Rock Creek Park and to bring all art supplies back home. The National Park Service website has more information on visiting hours, park rules and regulations, road closures, parking, restrooms and more.
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