The most recent arts-based community work took place in Searsport, Maine and focused on Sears Island. The island is one of the largest undeveloped islands on the Eastern Seaboard and is known as Wahsumkik or shining beach by the Wabanaki people of Northern New England. The proposed development of Sears Island for a wind turbine assembly has driven a wedge between individuals and groups who might otherwise be allies. This makes dialogue both essential and complex and requires fresh approaches to break down perceived certainties.  

A retreat for a diverse group of participants was offered in conjunction with the Intersecting Ecologies exhibit. The retreat aimed to broaden participation in discussions about conservation initiatives and industrial development on the island, including the proposed offshore wind port, and collage workshop and walk provided the containers 

The Sears Island Collage Workshop included 40 participants who worked in small groups to co-create collages that represented their knowledge and experiences of Sears Island. Some participants had years and even decades-long relationships with the island and other saw it for the first time during the retreat. After a presentation on the history of the island by Friends of Sears Island Vice President Rolf Olsen, the groups commenced their work on large sheets of paper arranging photographs and newspaper articles and using a mixed media approach to embellish the work with layers of textures, color and text. The workshop concluded with each group presenting about the content of the collages and highlighting their take-aways from the collage-making experience.