We recently connected with Patrick Donley and have shared our conversation below.

Patrick, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

In 2019, after a 35 year career as an artist and gallerist, I was preparing to sell my 1920’s warehouse/studio in order to capitalize on an up market. I then met Phyllis, a groundhog. After several attempts to trap and relocate her, I discovered in the basement beside a large gap in the floor a pile of dirt pushed out from under the broken slab. In that pile were several intact bottles along with broken dishes, a broken doll’s head and some stoneware. As it turns out, my building was constructed in 1922 on the site of an urban midden that had been in use from the 1870’s. Thus began my accidental career as an archeologist, and my partnership with Phyllis who continued to unearth treasure while showing me the way. Today, we are turning that warehouse into a museum to educate visitors about Louisville’s historic culture as told through the refuse discarded by the residents over a century ago.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For 30 years I was the director of Zephyr Gallery in Louisville, an artists cooperative. I made my reputation as an abstract painter who used found objects and collage in my mixed media works. That is critical to the story: I have been a collector of found objects from the streets (ie. “Trash”) since the 80’s. The coincidence that the 1920’s warehouse I owned and used as a studio just happened to be built on a former neighborhood dump is mind boggling.
The museum that we are creating will be unique as it attempts to strike a balance between art, archeology and trash. As a visual artist, I approach every artifact as something distinct and beautiful. I am also looking for ways that we can create revenue to support the museum using artifacts as well as melting down the tons of broken glass to create new items to sell both online and in the gift shop. “Own a piece of the Mid” is our shop’s motto.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Social media has been the greatest resource for garnering interest and spreading awareness about our project. In 2019, I had no clue how vast the undertaking was: had I discovered a few buckets of trash, or an ocean? Waste disposal was not a “sexy” topic for the press, hence research has been difficult, but what we know is that our Midden was used by the community and sanctioned by the city because there was no alternative in 1880’s Louisville for large scale trash removal. I discovered a community of trash diggers across the globe who celebrate their discoveries by posting them on Instagram. The term “mudlarking”, which originated in London and refers to combers of the Thames river’s foreshore at low tide, is a hashtag that connects my posts with the world. This was a revelation for me. I have not yet gone viral by any means, nor do I anticipate that ever happening, but the community that I have grown would never have been possible when I began my first career in the 90’s. We are now beginning to seek support for our 501(c)(3) so that we can begin renovations.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Because of Covid, I was forced to work alone in my basement. The work involved jackhammering the slab, and then systematically excavating the soil beneath for artifacts. The work is grueling. I was 57 when it began, and I am currently 62. The depth that I have had to achieve is at least six feet below the original level of the floor and it spans the entire footprint of the building which is 2000 square feet. I was excavating without an end goal until around mid 2022 when enough followers had asked “what are you going to DO with all of this stuff?!” It was then that I realized that the building itself was the story, the artifacts and their stories would stay with the building and be brought back to light to educate future generations about what it means to be an ancestor. This vision helps to sustain me through the backbreaking daily grind.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Groundhogarcheology.com
• Instagram: Donleyart
• Facebook: The Mary Street Midden Project
• Youtube: @groundhogarcheology

Image Credits

All photos by Patrick Donley, Sam Heine and Moseley Putney