Hi everyone, I’m Gretchen Hilyard and this post marks the launch of my project: Senses of Place.
Who am I? I am an explorer of landscapes, an earnest observer, and a kindred spirit. As a trained historic preservationist and landscape historian, I am concerned about the value people assign to their physical environments and how this affects our collective heritage. Through this project, I hope to inspire others to care about the natural and built world by sharing my own personal stories about place.
Senses of Place (SOP) is a series of curated learning events and stories that highlight the importance of sensory experience in framing personal perception of place. I strongly believe that by looking at the often eclipsed yet considerable moments of the day that fall between living, working and creating, we can begin to understand how memories are formed and social values are assigned to place. Senses of Place is about the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings that define our environments and give them meaning.
This website will include a collection of stories, photos, recordings, observations, thoughts, and the occasional rant about the unique qualities of San Francisco and afar. I look forward to collecting these snapshots here and thank you for reading!