A place for Naomi: Garden pays tribute to artist’s disabled niece | News, Sports, Jobs


Hollidaysburg artist Joel Koss stands up coming to his sculpture honoring his disabled niece, Naomi Kathleen Caughey, 13. The piece stands at Allegheny and Lindsay streets. Mirror image by Patrick Waksmunski

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Area artist Joel Koss and a group of nameless volunteers have beautified the corner of Allegheny and Lindsay streets in honor of Koss’s disabled niece, Naomi Kathleen Caughey, 13.
The Naomi Kathleen Backyard garden, when a vacant large amount, is now residence to a steel sculpture developed by Koss. It rises 22 ft into the air and is composed of triangular beams of steel, carbon metal and stainless steel. The beams are set in a concrete base accented with large black rocks. The piece is surrounded by a crimson brick location outlined in black concrete.
The lot has been landscaped, with 3 trees planted alongside its significantly border. Extra indigenous Pennsylvania plantings are prepared, along with benches exactly where people today can sit and replicate.
The website is a tribute to Naomi, the daughter of Dr. Robert and Anne Caughey of Hollidaysburg, who has a exceptional genetic condition that has still left her visually impaired and nonverbal. At first supplied a brief lifespan, her mom to start with conceived the plan of a park as a memorial then shifted into making a space in Naomi’s honor.
Naomi enjoys the sensory encounters at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, the place she also attends a college for the blind, Anne Caughey explained.
As a consequence of her ailment, Naomi has traits related to being seriously autistic with “locked in syndrome.” Still, Caughey mentioned, Naomi understands what people today say, has a sense of humor and a distinctive individuality. Naomi has figured out via the use of flash cards and solves algebra problems, her mom stated.
Koss claimed he enjoys taking Naomi for car or truck rides, and they hear to audio, like Naomi’s favored Paul Simon tune, “You Can Simply call Me Al.”
Siblings, Koss and Caughey hope residents will get pleasure from their initiatives to beautify the house at the entrance to the borough.
It is a labor of appreciate that is taken far more than two many years to arrive to fruition, he explained, from obtaining the whole lot, making the design and style for the artwork and organizing the volunteers.
Caughey mentioned she hopes people will take a look at the backyard garden, replicate, contemplate and celebrate the value of all daily life no matter of a life’s attributes.
Koss, 49, of Hollidaysburg said he hasn’t titled the metal composition as he prefers not to affect a viewer’s interpretation.
When Caughey views the metal sculpture, she sees an eternal flame.
That’s because, Koss said, many pieces of metal ended up dealt with with a content to encourage it to rust. These beams glimpse like flames or the base of a blossom bursting forth.
“The rust has been dripping down onto the concrete foundation so it appears to be like like a blossom coming out of the ground,” Koss claimed.
Finishing touches will proceed this slide with benches and more landscaping elements, Caughey stated.
Getting the space turn into a accumulating spot in the neighborhood would be suitable, the duo stated.
For Caughey, the garden is further special, not only to honor her daughter, but since of all the nameless volunteers who stepped in to make her plan a actuality.