Concrete couches added to the sights seen on this creek walk.

These are different than some of their other couch projects, as they incorporated large rocks that were found along the Fountain Creek trail near The Fields Park in Manitou Springs into the couches.

Concrete Couch is a non-profit that does many things.

It did start by doing concrete couch projects with at risk kids, hence its name.  

The kids get to create tiles that are fired and inset into concrete couches.

They learn skills that they could use in their own life, or perhaps for getting a job.

Some have a theme that is easily discerned. 

Many types of creatures and forms found in nature can be found in these couches.

I loved the lavender octopus dancing among the fishes.

All the tile are very fun and imaginative.

When looked at closely a theme usually does appear.

Concrete Couch has branched out into many other types of community projects that involve “at risk” kids and art.

Concrete Couch hosts Fab Lab Wednesdays in their wood and metal shop at the Manitou Art Center.   Here they can fix a broken item or use donated materials to create useful and art projects. Many things get re-purposed to extend there useful life for the good of the environment. Its a FABulous experience.

Although these couches aren’t very inviting to sit upon in the winter, they did entertain my eyes.  I could easily imagine people enjoying resting on these benches in the summer surrounded by greenery and enjoying the sound of water running in the creek.

The sunshine does warm them a bit even in the winter, and I encountered one person sitting on one while watching his dog romp on the trail.

I may have a project for the Fab Lab relating to the Commonwheel Art Festival. We need to get some Plywood A-frames out of storage area and count how many we have then decide how we would like to direct them to be painted.

Reflecting on the creativity on these benches makes me believe some of these kids could paint some very creative signs relating to the Art Festival to catch people’s attention and guide them to The Fields Park.

How fun it would be to recycle some outdated signs and give some kids a creative outlet that they will see displayed on Manitou Avenue.

That would be a win-win situation for us all.