Help Build Kate's Backyard Studio: A Shed, A Garden, A Dream

Our backyard has been waiting.

For over a decade, it’s been a blank canvas; wild with ivy, tangled in thorns, and quietly holding space for a dream that never quite had its season. Kate, my wife, has always imagined more. A backyard art studio in the old shed. A space for birdwatching and morning coffee. A community space for Maker Parties with friends and family. A garden flush with native plants and creative joy.

But between my poison ivy allergy (the severe kind), our packed schedules, and a yard that seems to regenerate chaos like it’s its own ecosystem, the work has always felt just out of reach. We've talked about it for years. Friends have offered help. We've said "maybe someday." And somehow, someday never came.

This is me, finally saying: let’s do it. Together.

What This Is

More than just a fundraiser, this is an invitation to a kind of backyard barn-raising. Kate has a big milestone birthday this summer, and while we can’t brave the Georgia heat to dig in just yet, I want to surprise her with a gift of intention: a plan, a promise, and a pool of support (money, tools, labor, ideas) that says "your dream matters, and we’re going to help make it real."

How You Can Help

Get in touch! Send me a message to get on the list. Whether you live nearby or far away, there are so many ways to pitch in:

Financial Support

Any funds raised will go toward:

Brush Hog rental and ivy removal

Grading and cleanup to prepare for future landscaping

Long-term eco-conscious improvements like native plants or a dry creek bed

Repair and improvements to the old shed

Local Labor, Tools & Know-How

Do you have:

Time to lend a hand?

Tools we could borrow or rent affordably?

Landscaping or construction skills? (or immunity to poison ivy!)

Knowledge of Marietta permitting or native plants?

Let’s talk. We’d love to build a local crew for a cooler-season push.

Creative Problem-Solving

Think outside the box. If there’s something unusual you can offer (a connection, a piece of salvage material, a funky idea for the space) we want to hear it.

Why This Matters

Kate has always shown up for me. Quietly, fiercely, without fanfare. She’s made space for my dreams. Now I want to make a literal space for hers.

And more than that, I want this to be a story we tell - of friends coming together - of dreams made tangible - of a backyard transformed into an artist’s playground

Thank you for reading. For caring. For showing up in whatever way you can. Let’s build something beautiful, together.

~Nate

denormal.art ( at ) g mail