Glass Lids, Olla Project

El Sereno Community Garden, Los Angeles

This public art project adorns and supports an existing garden plot stewarded by gardeners Shabina and Zellie at the El Sereno Community Garden exploring sustainable gardening through a traditional Three Sisters method Oaxacan green corn, squash, and beans grown. This method demonstrates a synergetic relationship, with corn providing structure for beans to climb, beans enriching the soil with nitrogen, and squash retaining moisture while suppressing weeds.

In particular, the use of an ancestral irrigration technique, the use of terra cotta ollas (clay pots), placed beneath the soil and filled with water, provide a stable source of water to the surrounding plants, seeping steadily through the porous clay walls. This technique reduces the need for daily watering while supporting plant growth.

The project includes a guided workshop series at the artist’s home and is presented as part of the 2025 Catalina Island Conservancy California Naturalist Certification course, blending public art, traditional ecological knowledge, and community environmental stewardship.