The latest Blink Temporary Public Art project, "Seed Pod," by local artist Brenda Baker, has been installed on the Monona Terrace Esplanade through November 4 (between the Capitol and the Monona Terrace Convention Center at the terminal point of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd).

Baker created the work in conjunction with the Society for Ecological Restoration's 2013 World Conference being held in Madison from October 6-11. According to the conference website, "SER2013 will bring together an estimated 1,500 attendees from around the world interested in the science and practice of ecological restoration as it relates to natural resource management, climate change, biodiversity conservation, environmental policy and sustainable livelihoods."

Baker created "Seed Pod" from invasive buckthorn, honeysuckle and autumn olive, all invasive plants that threaten species diversity in Southern Wisconsin. The large pod symbolizes how invasives spread of while highlighting the importance of restoration work and native ecosystems.

Seed Pod is a Blink Temporary Public Art Project of the Madison Art Commission. Brenda Baker created the work with additional support from Dane Arts and the following individuals through power2give: Todd Aschenbach, Nancy Aten, Dan Collins, Dennis Conta, Chris Young, Roger Anderson, Dorothy Boyer, Monique Charlier, Virginia Duiven, Aida Farag, Ian Firth, Tina Frailey, Stephen Glass, Steven Handel, Bonnie Harper-Lore, Laurel Hauser, David Johns, Juli Kaufmann, Ken Leinbach, John Lunz, Eric MacDonald, Darrel Morrison, Stephen Murphy, Jane Porath, Vicky Temperton, Cheryl Ulrich and Corey Zetts. Special thanks to the UW-Madison Arboretum, Lakeshore Nature Preserve and Quercus Land Stewardship.

To reach the artist contact Brenda Baker at Bakergore@charter.net.

For more information about the Madison Arts Commission's BLINK! program, please visit our website at or contact Karin Wolf, the Arts Program Administrator kwolf@cityofmadison.com

Next BLINK application deadline is February 1, 2014.