Plants as a starting point for new art
So many of you are following along on this project. It truly feels at times that you are walking beside me, keeping a keen eye on the trail and staying in step as the work develops. Thank you for inspiring me to continue on!
Looking back to go forward
In 2017, I participated in the California Naturalist program offered through the University of California. One of the elements of the program was to conduct a capstone project and presentation.
For my capstone, I invited my fellow naturalists to join me in collecting and impressing plants into clay slabs. I brought all the materials to the class and we had a fun afternoon, identifying plants and making impressions.
Back at my studio, I used their slabs to make "master" embossing plates – and these became the basis for small wall-hangings. The pieces were donated to Friends of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve (the site of my current art residency) and sold by the organization as a fundraiser.
Above: The 2017 class of California Naturalists join me in a session of identifying and impressing plants into clay slabs.
Below: Textured tiles made from the original slabs, drying on the studio racks.
Taking the next step
Now, seven years later, I'm revisiting the art and using it as a starting point for this new residency project. It's fun to look back and consider how I might use plant embossing/imprinting in different ways in my work.
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Artist Residency on the Wild Preserve
Thank you for following along on my residency, a year-long project to explore the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and nearby coastal areas of the central California landscape where I live and work.