Artist's statement: "In a series of recent projects, I work with time and with soil to explore the decomposition of cotton canvas, which reveals a beauty in a process that is often hidden from view. I approach nature, art and science with humility and a willingness to dwell in the unknown. I see nature as a collaborator, not as a resource to be exploited.
My art focuses on the intersection of artistic expression, science, food, farming, and sustainable agriculture, while also exploring issues of social justice and healing. I feel that much of life is spent remembering what we already know. Art is a pathway to that remembering."
Where did my interest in soil and art begin?
As a soil researcher for 37 years, I learned many things about the soil, but one thing I learned was that there is more that we don't know, than what we DO know!
Parideaza farm was my inspiration for using natural materials in my art, including soil as paint, plant-dye, wool, beeswax/encaustic, and weeds and apples for home-made paper.
As my journey as an artist continues, I look for ideas in many places, including the soil and water in my own backyard.
WEBSITE OVERVIEW: I have included in this website my recent art, but also some of my older work/websites, a few pages of "research" on timing and placement of the buried cloth, and a series of slides about my latest efforts to combine art this soil metagenomics - the DNA of the soil. This progression of ideas from buried cloth as a teaching tool, to genomics is on the page "History of Buried Cloth" under the "Research" main page.
My thesis from my Masters work at Goddard in 2012 includes references to other artists working with soil, sustainability, performance art and installations, as well as more about my journey and work with materials from my organic farm in Wamego ranging from soil to mulberries to walnuts. This is found on the "my thesis" page.
If you want more information about my research and teaching in soils, see the c.v. page, or my ResearchGate page for recent research papers.