JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Library will host photos from the 2019 Slide into R Park program. Students’ photographs will be on exhibit in the Ordway Exhibit Hall until Nov. 12.
The program was created to empower the bilingual youth of Jackson by utilizing R Park to develop and inspire visual storytelling skills with onsite photography lessons connecting storytelling and conservation of open spaces.
The photo exhibit features students’ photographs from the inaugural Slide into R Park program that ran from April through June 2019. Rendezvous“R” Park is a program of the Jackson Hole Land Trust. “Photography and conservation have a symbiosis that’s not accessible to everyone,” said Jr Rodriguez, Community Conservation Manager/R Park Director for JHLT.
“R Park’s reclamation story and its current natural splendor provide ample opportunity to develop storytelling skills. Thanks to community partners, we were able to remove many barriers to entry by providing cameras, a photo lab, and a bilingual instructor. And thanks to inclusive community institutions like the library, we’re able to showcase this program for free to the public.”
Local bilingual professional photographer, Lina Collado, led the first cohort. “This program provided five bilingual girls the opportunity to learn about photography in their native tongue and expand their creativity within the perfect background of R Park,” explained Lina. “Since the program, two of the five students have stayed in contact with me, and I have been able to connect with them with volunteer opportunities, job opportunities and be a college reference for them to pursue an art degree.”
The photographs that Slide into R Park participants created were featured in the Jackson Hole Land Trust’s WyoView: Wild. Open. Connected, a conservation art showcase and silent auction as part of the organization’s 40th Anniversary Virtual Picnic in August 2020. Picnic attendees and community members had the opportunity to view and purchase Slide into R Park photographs with the proceeds returning to the Slide into R Park participants as income.
To view the exhibit in person, make an appointment at tclib.org. A virtual tour will also be posted to the library website soon. The Slide into R Park Exhibit will be on display till November 12th.
Slide into R Park was funded by grants from the Center of Wonder, the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, the Jackson Hole Land Trust and in partnership with the Art Association of Jackson Hole, Slide Luck Youth Initiative, and Latino Outdoors.
