Garden Painter

Mary K delved into serious gardening in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, dubbing herself a "pandemic-era gardener." She recognized that cultivating nutrient-rich food not only provided a sense of security in tumultuous times but also served as a means to create a peaceful and beautiful environment.

Having worked in marketing for over two decades, Mary K aspired to establish a lifestyle that allowed, and at times necessitated, dedicating a minimum of 10 hours a week to garden care - a reciprocal relationship with Nature. Along this journey, she found herself managing a 1/4 acre plot that originated as a school garden in partnership with One Stone High School. Mary K chose the moniker "Garden Painter" for her seed-growing endeavor, as she saw gardening as a new artistic medium. This marked a shift from her previous art forms, which included working with oil, acrylic, watercolor, collaged materials, and crafting puppets to tell intricate stories. Although she still indulges (when possible) in diorama making, board game development and sometimes making puppets, she presently finds herself spending at least one day per week in the garden throughout the winter and up to 20 hours a week during the busier months.

In the fall, Mary K dusts the garden walkways with yarrow seeds to "negotiate" with the well established bindweed, often referred to as the garden's "boa constrictor." She also takes pleasure in scattering various years-old seeds obtained from past seed swaps in different corners to create inviting, wild, flower patches. Mary K is consistently engaged in learning and experimentation, finding immense joy in the ongoing discoveries that gardening offers, just like visual-only art used to do.

Her passion extends beyond the shared garden, as she enjoys developing digital tools to aid fellow gardeners. Her creations include the Free Quick Start Garden Maps, Seed Tracking Tool, and Foods We Eat | Harvest Log. She is enthusiastic about the prospect of promoting more gardens throughout the area, slowly but surely championing the dream of the Treasure Valley Community Gardens Cooperative.