
Walk On Water
In November 2019, The Town of Gibsons hired The Art Farm to develop a set of signs that would form a “tour” through lower Gibsons celebrating our local aquifer system which has provided some of the world’s cleanest drinking water to the residents of this area for thousands of years. Collaborating with families, Indigenous knowledge carriers and local artists, The Art Farm created seven signs at various locations relating to the Gibsons Aquifer. The signs draw audiences to engage through a game and additional information available online while exploring Lower Gibsons.

Dates
- Spring of 2020
Components
- Dialogue with Squamish Council member Richard Baker
- Walking Tour with local families
- Creative Workshops
- Interactive element & signage design
Partners
- Town of Gibsons
Community Input



Workshops
The students who walked with us on our original tour met at the The Art Farm to dive deeper into the material. We learned more about the Gibsons Aquifer through creative activities including building a mini functioning model of an aquifer!


Designing an interactive tour
Our artist team came together to conceptualize what Walk On Water would include. It was important to honour the animals and plants that rely on this fresh water source, and especially important to acknowledge the indigenous people who have relied on the Gibsons aquifer for thousands of years. We wanted to draw people to the artful signage, engage them in a game that would help them see the aquifer through an animal’s experience, encourage them to walk to each sign location, and learn more online about the history and the aquifer.
