CAMDEN — Merryspring Nature Center is the temporary host to a unique outdoor sculpture created by Eric Darling, of Appleton.

Called the “Drift Rope Project,” the 8-foot x 6-foot sculpture is made entirely of used pot warp, the colorful rope used by Maine’s lobstermen.

“Over the past few years, I've collected over a ton of abandoned pot warp and have explored its versatility as a durable art medium,” Darling said, in a Merryspring news release. “There is a cultural and historical connection between the rope and the livelihoods of many coastal communities in Maine and beyond, which inspired me to start this project.”

Darling was awarded the Artist Springboard Grant, funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, to create the “Drift Rope Project.” The goal is to draw awareness to the potential of pot warp as an art medium that is both interactive and visual in nature. 

“I hope to pioneer a new frontier of upcycled art and bring awareness to the many ways this overlooked material could become an art tourism attraction,” he added. “Currently, there is limited use for the retired pot warp, and miles of this colorful, diverse material is buried in local landfills.”

The outdoor artwork, which will be on display at Merryspring for a limited time, is located in the grassy area behind the Ross Center. Visitors are welcome to come view this colorful, creative use of pot warp any day of the week during daylight hours. 

For further information about the artist or artwork, please go to www.ericdarlingart.com.

Merryspring is your community nature center offering walking trails, cultivated gardens, wildlife, and ecology and horticulture educational programs all year round. The park is located at the end of Conway Road, just off of Route 1 in Camden behind Hannaford Shopping Plaza. For more information on this program, please contact info@merryspring.org or call 207-236-2239.