Halle-Buoy-Yah! Art Installation Helps Orleans Ring In Holidays

ORLEANS – Near the back of the Village Green, the message to those who pass by is unmistakable. The word “Joy,” lit up in the form of three 10-foot buoys, festively captures the spirit of the holiday season, thanks to the work of many helpers.

The installation, titled “Buoys Of Joy,” is the work of the town of Orleans, local artists and students from Nauset Regional Middle School, all of whom had a hand in making the project a reality.

In a press release, the town said the goal of the installation was to bring attention to “Orleans’ fishing heritage while drawing attention to the ongoing challenge of marine debris and the community’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”

A group of residents and public officials gathered Dec. 16 on the green to celebrate the installation. Scott Feen of Atlantic Workshop in Orleans said the town reached out to him about taking part in the project. He said the bulk of the project was made from locally sourced materials.

“This isn’t just a big ol’ sculpture, it’s also created from boats here that come off the Atlantic fleet,” he said. “So this stuff has been dragged up from the bottom of the ocean, all these nets, and 90 percent of it has been created with reused stuff.” Other artists that participated in the installation include Elaine and Beatrice Alder and artisan Tiran Dagan.

The recycling organization Net Your Problem provided the reclaimed netting for the buoys, the town said in the release. Elaine and Beatrice Alder connected with Feen during a cleanup organized by the Center for Coastal Studies, where volunteers helped remove more than 22,000 pounds of “marine debris” from Peddocks Island.

The local nonprofit CARE for the Cape and Islands presented a check for $4,000 to the town in support of the installation. The nonprofit describes its mission as inspiring “stewardship to preserve and protect the natural environment, cultural and historical treasures of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.”

 “We’re proud to help fund a portion of this. That’s what this check represents,” said Adam Gracia, the nonprofit’s executive director.

“We did just want to thank the artists, the community partners, the select board,” said Tom DeSiervo, the town’s director of recreation, culture and community events. “A huge thank you to the cultural council, which has helped fund this project as well. And it took a lot to get these up here, so we have to give a huge shout-out to the DPW.”