By Special to FRANK. magazine

By Brian Baker,

Editor’s note: The below column from Brian Baker is about his folk art project at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow called the Robinella Bench. I, editor Hannah Brown, and my son, Jackson Roberts, discovered the bench in its infancy while hiking at the park during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have watched the magnificent work of art grow to 150 feet in length over the years. We marvel at the items that adorn the bench — glass beads, trinkets, jewelry, interesting rocks, minerals, fossils and more that make up the work of art. Brian now considers it a community art project, and Jackson and I plan to take some materials that are special to us to Brian to be incorporated into the project. If you would like to contribute, email him at brian.baker012@gmail.com.

Growing up in modest circumstances in Lexington, I had a very limited knowledge of the world. As with all kids, one of the highlights of any week was the cartoons on Saturday — such a joy, even in black and white!

One Saturday morning when I was 8 years old, there was a made-for-children movie about the building of Watts Tower in Watts, California. I was fascinated with the idea that one person of modest means could build such an incredible work of art in their own yard, primarily using material that had been thrown away.

I thought, even then … someday. I did not know of course at the time that this is now considered by many to be the greatest folk art project in the country. Fast forward to the 1970s when a local TV station started doing regional human interest stories.

Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)

One episode featured the story of Harry Andrews who was building a castle in Loveland, Ohio, using stones picked up out of the nearby Little Miami River, which he carried up to the building site one bucket at a time. And, once again I thought … someday.

In 2007, while I was still working as a professional geologist for the state, I did a research project at Cove Spring Park for Walk/Bike Frankfort. One of the recommendations from the research was that the property, now known as Blackberry Meadow, and Blackberry Meadow Trail be purchased and added to the park. Once it became clear that the property was going to be added to the park, I began reopening the old wagon road that went from Schenkel Lane down to the Lower Meadow — this became the Blackberry Meadow Trail. By the time the property was purchased in December 2011, I had already roughly opened the trail. I put in over 1,000 hours in 2012 clearing brush and removing debris along this trail and in the meadow that had been dumped by the previous owner. Also at that time, with the help of Joe Ray, we had started to reintroduce native wildflowers to the meadow.

In 2013, I started working for Frankfort Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites part-time, which has generally been around 1,500 hours every year. I also continue to do volunteer work during the three months every year that I am laid off. I retired from the state in 2008.

Shortly after I started working in 2013, my co-worker Andrew Cammack and I were able to get a bobcat up to Blackberry Meadow and haul off about 70% of the debris that had been dumped along the edge of the meadow at the top of the Spring Spur Gorge.

I originally just wanted to clear out enough debris to where I could mow a hiking trail along the edge with views down into the gorge. Due in part to limitations with the bobcat, there was a 150-foot-long section of the debris pile that could not be accessed. This area of debris was about 50 feet wide, 6 feet high and was overgrown with non-natives, such as bush honeysuckle and privet.

Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)

Most of the debris in this section was an old asphalt parking lot that had been broken up and dumped. Elsewhere, concrete and metal were more common.

Even though it looked like an impossible task, I started working on this remaining section over my three-month winter break. I would take a long, heavy pry bar and slowly break the pile apart. I then would take a Pulaski (a high-quality fireman’s axe) and chop the five-inch-thick pieces into manageable blocks.

After several years, I started laying these pieces as if I were building a stone fence. After some effort, I cleared out all the debris and made a retaining wall about 150 feet long and four feet high that covered up the remaining debris pile. I thought then that I was more or less done.

However, just about every week I would find that the kids had been walking along the top of the wall and causing pieces of it to tumble down onto the mowed trail. After rebuilding the wall numerous times, I decided that I needed to harden up the top. This involved applying concrete and mortar. To in part save on these supplies, I started sticking rocks into the bigger gaps and adding stones and bricks to the mortar.

At this point, it started turning into a rather rough folk art project since I was still primarily using found material that had been dumped. In 2023, my longtime friend, Jeff Vansant, donated his lifelong rock and mineral collection. Shortly after this, another longtime friend, Duke Hopper, donated his rock collection.

Brian Baker looks at an area of his folk art project dedicated to his friend Larry Peterson, who was an expert on the rock arches at Red River Gorge. Peterson died from COVID-19. (Photo by Hannah Brown)

Since then, some of the folks who hike at Blackberry Meadow on a regular basis have donated shells, colored glass and other materials. I have also made it a point to bring back pieces from my travels, which often include rocks but may include flea market finds of costume jewelry and porcelain figures.

Many of the sections now remind me of fine friends, adventures and good times. However, almost as soon as the Blackberry Meadow Trail was made, we began to have a problem with vandalism, primarily by one person. Unfortunately, this person has continued to vandalize the park ever since. About 50 sections of the folk art project have recently been vandalized.

The artwork has been smashed and many of the best rocks and minerals have been stolen. Though I have repaired some of the damage, I would still like to have the material returned, since many of the rocks have sentimental value. If anyone notices ongoing vandalism they should report it to the police.

Almost all folk art projects have a theme. One of the greatest, Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman, Alabama, was created by a Benedictine monk and has a religious theme.

Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)

Some like Hartman Rocks in Springfield, Ohio, have patriotic and historic themes. For more than 20 years — as a hobby — I have been involved with supporting live music in Frankfort.

So, I thought I would at least have a music theme in some sections. At the time, we had been working with an exceptional Americana singer/songwriter from Maryville, Tennessee, named Robinella (Robin Bailey). She is on my all-time top 10 favorites list. Somewhat as an experiment, I worked out her name using small stones in the wet mortar.

Ever since then I have called the project the Robinella Bench. If I have world enough and time, I hope to add sections for all of my favorite artists going back to the first singer I got to know — Rosemary Clooney. I listened to her on our only source of music — a used Victrola. The Robinella Bench has become more of a community project because of the donated material. If anyone has any items they would like to donate, such as rocks and shells, they can contact me at brian.baker012@gmail.com.

I have also thought that I might create sections for my favorite naturalists — such as Edwin Way Teale and the father of the native plant movement, Aldo Leopold. I also want to continue to add small sections for my friends who over the years have given me inspiration, encouragement and support. They know who they are.

Mainly though, I hope that this project will bring joy to those who come upon it — especially to those who need it — and I hope it will inspire others — especially the young — to do their own creative work.

Brian Baker is a Frankfort resident. He can be reached at brian.baker012@gmail.com.



Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker points to a thimble that was given to him by a homeless person for the folk art bench at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker cleans the stacked stones on his folk art project at Blackberry Meadow. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has also built a stone circle at Blackberry Meadow. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)
Brian Baker has built a 150-foot folkart bench called “Robinella” at Cove Spring Park’s Blackberry Meadow. The art project is adorned with a variety of trinkets and memorabilia that Baker has collected, while other items were given to him by friends. (Photo by Hannah Brown)

Brian Baker’s folk art project is named after his friend, singer/songwriter Robin Bailey, of Maryville, Tennessee. (Photo submitted)