“The Yarn Blasting Babes” trying to save Santa Maria trees from being cut down
SANTA MARIA, Calif.
A Central Coast group has a pretty creative way of protesting a renovation project that will tear down several trees at Buena Vista Park in Santa Maria.
They call themselves The Yarn Blasting Babes and they’ve yarn blasted several trees at this park – and they’re hoping it will get the city’s attention.
Karen Luckett is the founder of The Yarn Blasting Babes, a group that puts artwork on display in natural environments for artistic and political reasons.
“We enlist hundreds of people to help fabricate our art and help install our art,” The Yarn Blasting Babes founder Karen Luckett said.
The City of Santa Maria says they plan to remove most of the existing “park features” at Buena Vista Park.
“I am incensed, I am horrified,” Luckett said.
Luckett is afraid those “park features” include these 100-year-old trees.
“That they want to spend 1.4 million dollars on and according to this drawing done by an architect in L.A., most of the existing trees are not here,” Luckett said.
The Yarn Blasting Babes decorated all 20 trees at the park with either yarn, notes and pom-poms.
“And we want everyone to notice these beautiful trees,” Luckett said.
Another term that The Yarn Blasting Babes used to describe this peaceful protest is women’s graffiti.
The city confirms one large Sycamore tree is being cut down as well as other smaller trees because they say they’re suffering from disease issues. They say they plan to plant 40 to 60 new trees to bring a modern 2016 look to the city’s first public park.
“So counter productive to environmental causes and aesthetic beauty and God given nature of trees and what they give us,” Luckett said.
Miguel Cortes says these trees represent his childhood.
“I remember coming here as a little kid growing up.. and cutting down these trees is like cutting down my memories,” Santa Maria park-goer Miguel Cortes said.
“Hope that we can get the city to reconsider the plan,” Luckett said.
The Yarn Blasting Babes are encouraging people to be at the City Council meeting on September 20th to voice their concern. The city plans to begin this project in June.
