This series of work is based off of Annie Dillard’s essay “Teaching A Stone To Talk”. The stone is a metaphor for nature and the silence that comes from the stone is indicative of the imbalance and lost connection humans have with the natural environment. What once was may never be again.
The prints in the series were made through an ancient Japanese printmaking process of burnishing dry paper onto a wet wood substrate that has a design on it. Charcoal and dry pigments are rubbed onto the wood before applying water and picking up the print. A stone was used to make the marks in the wood and through collaboration with my hand, I have attempted to restore a dialogue between the various natural materials. These prints are a record of the conversation and become a story of a dialogue within them.
"Natural Dialogues IX"
Charcoal and dry pigment on hosho paper
9" x 12"
"Natural Dialogues VIII"
Charcoal and dry pigment on hosho paper
9" x 12"
Artist Statement for the series:
I find interesting nuances in everyday events and
relationships. What intrigues me so much about these occurrences is how imperceptible
they are to the vast majority of us. These seemingly unimportant events are
what construct our reality without much acknowledgement or thought. To those
that notice some of life’s small events, they seem lost and unappreciated for
all their significance.
Somewhere in this marginalization exists a separate reality
that our species has almost completely lost contact with over the centuries.
Much of that comes from the dynamic relationship between our rational minds and the
natural world. I investigate this relationship with intuitive and philosophical
enquiries into our existence and how it shapes our perception. Whereas humans
and nature are often seen as separate entities, I combine the distinct
attributes of each to create work that emphasizes a point of intersection. This
juncture is further informed through cross-cultural examination of human
interaction with the natural environment including studies of ancient cultures, linguistics, religion, myths and
other human activity. Through this work I discover universal ideas and
practices that speak about our place in the universe through symbolic and
poetic interpretations.
