Ink, charcoal on paper
3′ x 4′ x 0.1″
As a research-based artist, I’ve sought out tactile experiences where my own body feels materially connected to the natural world. On a research trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, I worked with microbiologists from the Center for Life in Extreme Environments at Portland State University to collect samples of the microorganisms that live in the hot springs and bubbling mud pots. The resiliency of the microbes challenged my definition of the conditions necessary to sustain life and inspired a series of drawings of the ecosystems and their communities of organisms. While the landscapes may feel alien, they are a reminder to be more aware of what is underneath our feet, that life has figured out a way to survive and even thrive in the most extreme conditions. In these works, my aim is to continue a dialogue with posthumanist theory and explore how acts of creation, destruction, and transformation embody our interconnected relationship with the environment.
