I first fell in love with the prairie when studying art at UNI. Wandering the twisting paths of the restored prairie calmed my mind. As I drank in grass hopper droning, late summer’s scent of grass, the pollen, the leaves, and the many colors, I felt grounded and renewed. I felt the prairie sing to me in a way that allowed me to simply be.
I began my prairie series after I moved to Des Moines. I immersed myself in the local prairie, sketching and collecting photos, and samples for reference. I wanted this series to capture the feelings I had while wandering those prairie paths.
This idea blossomed into the series A Prairie Seed. The series explores the relationship between woman, plant, and pollinator, through botanically accurate renderings of native plants, and dreamlike imagery of women immersed in the prairie landscape. As the divide between woman and prairie blurs, the roles separating them blur, each becoming wholly dependent on the other.
The solo show Prairie Seed Dreaming will be held at the Octagon Center for the Arts, Ames, IA.
The show will run Sept. 28th through Oct. 28th 2019
Artist Talkand Prairie Seed Giveaway Oct.17th 6pm
Artist Statement for this show:
A single seed
Planted inside of me, a promise.
Of reaching grass and seeking roots.
I come undone as I blossom.
Leaves press into my lungs
Sap seeps into my veins.
Until all I am is prairie.
Through these paintings I seek to invite the viewer into the prairie. I hope to use this series to raise awareness about the importance of prairie restoration, and open a dialogue about the benefits of planting natives to both pollinators and people.