STILL WATER, LIVING LAKE A Summer Gathering for Art, Ecology, and Community Connection

The Brown's Creek Watershed District and A House Unbuilt invite the public to Still Water, Living Lake, a free community event celebrating the ongoing healing and recovery of Long Lake through art, ecology, and shared learning.

Taking place along the shores of Long Lake in the Croixwood neighborhood of Stillwater, the event brings together artists, community members, and watershed science to explore how ecosystems recover from disturbance and what those processes can teach us about resilience, care, and renewal.

For many residents, aquatic vegetation can appear to be a nuisance or obstacle to recreation. Yet these plants play a critical role in restoring water quality, supporting wildlife habitat, stabilizing shorelines, and helping lakes recover from environmental stress. Still Water, Living Lake invites participants to reconsider these often-overlooked species and develop a deeper understanding of the ecological processes unfolding beneath the water's surface.

Throughout the day, visitors can participate in a series of artist-led activities and hands-on ecological learning experiences.

Artist Jennifer Awes Freeman will lead Plants, Paper, and Printmaking, a drop-in station featuring paper marbling in blue and green pigments inspired by the relationship between water and algae, alongside printmaking activities using linocut stamps depicting Long Lake's aquatic plants, including pondweed and white water-lily.

Artist Playdoh Kolo will facilitate Watershed Puppets, a hands-on workshop where participants create small "lake beings" using natural and reclaimed materials. Through playful making and storytelling, participants will explore the interconnected life of the lake and imagine new relationships between people and place.

Dance and interdisciplinary artist Sharon Mansur will lead a restorative group stroll along Long Lake, inviting participants to slow down, tune into their bodies and surroundings, and experience the landscape through movement, observation, and imagination.

In addition, watershed biologist Jimmy Marty will present live examples of aquatic plants found in Long Lake and throughout the watershed. Participants will have the opportunity to handle and identify plant specimens, learn how these species contribute to improved water quality, and gain insight into the role aquatic vegetation plays in the lake's ongoing recovery.

Still Water, Living Lake is presented by Brown's Creek Watershed District in partnership with A House Unbuilt as part of a continuing effort to connect environmental stewardship, community engagement, and creative practice. By bringing together art and science, the event encourages participants to see Long Lake not simply as a recreational resource, but as a living ecosystem engaged in its own process of healing and transformation.

In case of rain, the event will be presented on Sunday, July 26, 2026 from 10am - 2pm.

For more information, visit https://ahouseunbuilt.com/still-water-living-lake/ or contact Victoria Bradford Styrbicki, victoria@ahouseunbuilt.com, 337-794-8222.