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 Three Sisters
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proved him wrong.
Over the past 20 years, visitors have
left trinkets and old toys surrounding the dragon head along the rock wall. “No matter where the eye draws you, there is another tiny piece of plastic
to remind us all we’re still human,” Richardson told BusinessWest, “I get as much enjoyment going in and visiting all those characters as I did building it.”
Once a week, Richardson gets “dolled up,” and becomes this charac- ter he calls “Little Dapper Dad,” and purposefully looks for new trinkets and knickknacks visitors have left behind. A popular item to be found around the dragon’s trinket wall are little turtles that always seem to appear.
“If you were to go in and really study it, you’ll find the turtles; they’re a big deal. Don’t ask me where they’re com- ing from, don’t ask me what they’re about,” said Richardson. “I just know that the turtles play a big part in the dragon’s life — so do prayer cards,
and people who just want to go in and say goodbye; they want to let go of something.”
He explains that the trinkets are often left by adults, not children. They have usually been to the sanctuary before and have had some time to think and process what to leave behind the next time they visit. The trinkets are more than just trinkets, he said — they’re a piece of the past.
When talking to visitors, Richardson urges them to leave their baggage at the entrance.
“Let the magic be in the moment so that you can really leave and say to yourself ‘wow that was an experience; that’s something I want to share,” he explained. “That’s something I want to come back to.’”
The sanctuary is a beautiful chaos that creates balance within itself. Each hardscape project allows not only the visitor to let go, but the artist himself. This was a place of closure, but also somewhere to watch something else bloom.
The sanctuary helped Richard-
son become the artist he is today. He worked on the sanctuary for 15 years before deciding he wanted to wear the artist hat.
“I like being an artist — it’s like being a rock ‘n’ roll star; it’s the same damn thing. I can wear the clothes and the flash, and I have the hair,” he said. “And I work it, I’m a rock ‘n’ roll star all in the comfort of my back yard. The hardest part has been that I’ve made the conscious decision to share it with the public. I knew all along that once I opened Pandora’s box, I couldn’t close it.”
And with the pandemic, he has found he is sharing it with even people. Indeed, in the early days of the pan-
demic, indoor gatherings were prohib- ited and people across this area and beyond found themselves looking for things to do outdoors, away from other
BusinessWest
people. sanctuary, I built it ass backwards,” he Art of the Matter
For many, a trip to the sanctuary said with a laugh. “Right now, I’m final- Summing up what the sanctuary has
filled that void. It was a safe destina- ly building a section for live events and become, Richardson said that he has tion, and one that enabled them to find workshops on the remaining two acres loved the land of Goshen so much that some peace, quiet, art, gardens, and of land that I have. It’ll be separated he allowed the rest of the world in, and plenty to reflect on. from the sanctuary — so if there’s 100 he admits that it hasn’t always been easy.
Women of
“When other people didn’t have people here for a workshop, they won’t “I’m one of those rare artists that
outdoor events, it started to bring be mingling with the other 100 people
IMPACT
more traffic here; I can already see here to visit the sanctuary. They’re
don’t put on a show — the show goes
how much it’s changed things,” said completely separate.” He is also plan-
on 24/7. People either love what I do or they don’t. But they do love it,” he said. “It’s like I’m Mr. Popular over here. I’m having way too much fun with my life and the character I’m living and the things I’ve created.”
In other words, life in the snow
Richardson, adding that with inflation ning on setting up a section for pop up
and a looming recession, he is trying to tents if events or workshops run late,
come up with new ideas and events to a fairy cottage where other artists can
include in the peaceful walk through promote their work, and an airbnb at
the sanctuary. the sanctuary.
“The humor in this is I have dyslex- ia, so everything I do is done ass back-
globe keeps changing. And, as he said, that’s the best part. v
wards. So naturally, when I built the
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