Wilder Gardens

Wilder Gardens will be an outdoor sculpture garden created by Indigenous ceramicist Tehani Baldecchi located on one of Portland’s public trails. The gallery will consist of 20+ life-sized sculptures of a variety of Maine's mushrooms. The sculptures will be installed discreetly so that participants must “forage” for the art by engaging the landscape. Gallery-goers are encouraged to “harvest” the art by taking sculptures home. Baldecchi hopes to connect participants with the land through a unique, playful experience meant to channel the gratitude Baldecchi enjoys in relationship with Maine’s public lands. An original Instagram account will be created to share updates, educational hints, best practices, and a full photo gallery of the art for those not lucky enough to make discoveries on the trail.

Artist bio

Originally from California, Tehani Baldecchi has lived in Maine for ten years, and currently resides in Deering. Since graduating from Bowdoin College in 2018, Baldecchi’s focus has been the slow enjoyment of the day-to-day. A lifelong artist in their personal life, Baldecchi’s interests span many mediums, including painting, drawing, drag performance, writing and ceramics, resulting in work that is original and interdisciplinary. In this chapter, they're learning how to share their art publicly and participate in Maine's rich artistic community. Baldecchi's art is an expression of their experience as a nonbinary and Indigenous person. The foundation of many indigenous ways of being is the belief that the land beneath us is a living and enthusiastic collaborator, building the future with us. Using wild materials as texture tools, Baldecchi draws on the deep creative wells of the natural world to express the desires of the non-human. Their ultimate hope is to cultivate curiosity and connection between locals and their land. Baldecchi was the lucky recipient of a Kindling Fund Research & Development grant in 2024, which they used to develop their project Wilder Gardens. They bisque and glaze fire all of their work at the beloved Portland Pottery Studio.

Social media
Tehani Baldecchi | Instagram

Cover image: Tehani Baldecchi, Chanterelle, Stoneware Ceramic, 2.5"x2.5"x3", June 2024.