ashley kidner's portfolio

Work samples

Ulfabaunir (Wolf Beans)

Ulfabaunir (Wolf Beans) Installation, 20ft by 35ft by 25ft, 2023. Skagastrond , Iceland. Installed during my NES artist residency ,this installation was made from harvested lupine petals and local sheep's wool, installed on a basalt cliff. The work references the controversial issue of invasive species. Lupines (Lupinus nootkatensis) were imported from Alaska in 1945 to help with soil stabilization but are now considered invasive by some people. The Icelandic Sheep was originally from Norway and not native to Iceland. The installation is meant to represent a waterfall, one of many iconic Icelandic landscapes.
Covehithe Erosion Project

Covehithe erosion project, drypoint on paper with watercolor and ink, 14" by 20", 2023. This work documents the coastal erosion seen at Covehithe beach in Suffolk, England.
Blakeney Point Flint Project # 5
Installed on Blakeney Point, Norfolk, England, December 28th-31st 2007.
Circle diameter 20ft, height of cairn 3ft
Blakeney Point Flint Project #5 was the culmination of 4 previous installations (or sketches) in exactly the same location on the western side of a large sand dune just above normal high tide. Flint was collected from the surrounding area and sorted into 6 colors; white, blue, light blue, black, tan, red. The position of the cairn and henge were marked, sand was excavated from the henge to form the mound for the cairn. The different colored flints were then placed to form the outer circle (white), henge (blue) and cairn (light blue, black, tan and red). Washed up vegetation (jetsam and flotsam) were placed in the henge.
Dry driftwood was collected and used to build a fire on the top of the cairn. The installation was a homage to the Neolithic stone circles found throughout the British Iles.
Death of a Cactus

Death of a cactus (2023), watercolor, ink and pencil on paper (14" by 22")

About ashley

Baltimore City

Ashley Kidner is a Baltimore based environmental artist. Kidner’s work reflects issues such as global warming, habitat loss, sea level rise and the decline of pollinators. Kidner likes to work with natural materials like stone, wood, plants and water when doing earthwork installations in different locations around the world. When in the studio Kidner works with a variety of mediums ranging from watercolors and printmaking to encaustics.

In addition to environmental artwork Kidner… more

View ashley's Resume

NES artist residency in Skagastrond, Iceland (July 2023)

This project includes work I produced while at my artist residency at NES in Skagastrond, north western Iceland. The main part of my work there was the installation called Ulfabaunir (wolf beans) which is described in the work sample section. I also did a number of drypoint prints (from plexiglass plates) and watercolors, mainly landscape studies.

Ulfabaunir (Wolf Beans) Installation

Ulfabaunir (Wolf Beans) Installation, 20ft by 35ft, 2023. Skagastrond , Iceland.
Ulfabaunir (wolf beans)

Ulfabaunir (Wolf Beans) Installation, 20ft by 35ft, 2023. Skagastrond , Iceland. Installed during my NES artist residency ,this installation was made from harvested lupine petals and local sheep's wool, installed on a basalt cliff. The work references the controversial issue of invasive species. Lupines (Lupinus nootkatensis) were imported from Alaska in 1945 to help with soil stabilization but are now considered invasive by some people. The Icelandic Sheep was originally from Norway and not native to Iceland. The installation is meant to represent a waterfall, one of many iconic Icelandic landscapes.
Sketch for Ulfabaunir (wolf beans ) installation

Sketch for Ulfabaunir (wolf beans ) installation, watercolor 3" by 5"
The Sphinx

Drypoint on paper, 10" by 6"
Lupine

Lupine petal; drypoint on paper (2023), 6" by 6"
Ulfabaunir (wolf beans) Triptych

Ulfabaunir (wolf beans) Triptych, drypoint print on paper, 12" by 28"
River Bank Rock

River Bank Rock, drypoint on paper, 6" by 10"
Landscape from studio

Drypoint on paper with watercolor, 12" by 3"
Skagastrond church from the riverbank rock

Skagastrond church from the riverbank rock, mono print on paper 6" by 10"
Skagastrond church from the riverbank rock

Skagastrond church from the riverbank rock, watercolor on paper 5" by 11"

Preservation work with Chimney swifts and solitary Bees

This project highlights some of my work in helping preserve habitats for Chimney Swifts and Solitary Bees;

Baltimore has one of the biggest Chimney Swift migrations on the East Coast. Here in Hampden we had to fight tooth and nail to ensure the Book Bindery Building on Elm St. was designated Historic thus preserving it's 70ft chimney. This chimney serves as a nightly resting place for thousands of Chimney swifts during their spring and summer migration to South America.

My work with solitary bees has involved designing and installing numerous solitary bee houses in parks and private gardens in Baltimore along with installing Pollinator/wildlife gardens throughout Maryland that provide food and habitat for bees, butterflies, clearwing moths and other pollinators. In addition to habitat and food for birds.

Sketch for solitary bee house

Sketch for solitary bee house
Solitary Bee House in Artist's garden
Chaetura Pelagica (Chimney Swift) habitat destruction

Video of chimney swift installation in my studio, featuring the stoney run coffin.
Sketch of Book Bindery building Chimney with Swift murmuration before evening descent, sept 2022
Swift installation in Stoney Run coffin with the Book Bindery chimney in the background

Swift installation in Stoney Run coffin with the Book Bindery chimney in the background. The building has been designated historic by CHAP and the chimney will remain.
Megachile Species (leafcutter bees) cleaning 2022

Leafcutter Bees cleaning right after hatching in springtime
Megachile species (leaf cutter bee)

This photo shows a leaf cutter bee soon after hatching, the eggs had been kept in my fridge during the winter! This photo was used in the bee house making workshop I gave at the Peale Center, Baltimore MD in 2018.
Leafcutter bee eggs in grass stems

This picture shows leaf cutter bee eggs in grass stems, the eggs are surrounded by pollen and are separated by mud packs. This was from another bee house constructed at the Art on the Farm workshop and installed in my garden.
Art on the Farm Workshop for Baltimore County Public School Chidren, Construction of solitary Bee-houses (April 2018)

This was a workshop set up for Baltimore County Public School children from primary to high school. 70 children were schooled by myself in constructing solitary Bee houses that also had art built into their design. The workshop was held at the Maryland County Agriculture Center in Hunt Valley, MD. 2018.
Brown Pelican nest

This photo shows work from the 2017 exhibition Birdland and the Anthropocene, a show curated by avid bird lover and artist Lynn Parkes that exhibited at the Peale Center in downtown Baltimore. The show highlighted the negative influence that man has inflicted on the bird population of planet Earth. As part of the group exhibition, I installed 5 replica nests of endangered MD groundnesting birds in the garden of the Peale Center.

Watercolors

The watercolors presented in this project are all recent ( 2019-2023) with some inspired by my interest in mutation. My recent work, as a response to the Covid 19 pandemic, has produced a series of works inspired by nature but often featuring strange twists or mutations. Some of these drawings and paintings were started after I had a medical procedure to insert a small tube in my body where a large aneurysm had developed.

The expansion of the universe 2022

THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE (2022); Pencil, Ink and watercolor on paper, 42"by 42" This work was inspired by the amazing photographs from the space telescope Hubble and most recently Webb.
River Bank Rock(s)

River Bank Rock, 2023, Dry point print with watercolor.
Death of a Cactus
Angliacus anglicanna naturalis

Angliacus anglicanna naturalis, 2021 Iliacus anglicanna naturalis, 2021 Pencil, Ink and watercolor on paper (24" by 42")
Oak seed Mutation, 2021

Pencil, ink and watercolor on paper, 22" by 42".
Feather mutation (2022)

Pencil, Ink and watercolor on paper (2021). 24" by 44"
The Lung and Feather 2020

Pencil, ink and watercolor. 36" by 18"
The colors of the soul (2019)

This watercolor (18" by 18") is from a series I've been working on drawing influence from a book about the soul, which was acquired by the Dutch art collector George Loudon. The book was on display at an exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery, London in 2019 but viewers only able to read 1 page. At the time I was awaiting an operation to remove a large aneurysm in my left iliac and became fascinated with the notes in the book describing different soul colors, there supposedly being only red, blue, yellow and brown.
Praying feather, 2021

Watercolor, pencil and ink on paper, 6"by 8"
Acorn mutation (2021)

Acorn Mutation (2021) Watercolor, pencil and ink on paper 24" by24"

Nature Art in the Park (Leakin Park), Art on the Trail (Lake Roland Park) and other installations installed in US

These works are part of the Art on the Trail series of installations at Lake Roland Park, Baltimore and Nature Art in the Park work in Leakin Park, Baltimore (2014 to Present). They include my Pollinator Hexagon series of installations. In addition to other work installed in the US.
https://chesapeakebaymagazine.com/art-on-the-waterfront-brings-inspired-outdoor-art-to-south-baltimore/

Monument to a Fallen Oak

Monument to a Fallen Oak, 2023, mixed media installation, (130ft by 35ft by 8ft) for Nature Art in the Park 2023
Earth Transfer(second phase) Anti-cline (2015)

Earth transfer installed at Lake Roland moss and stone 12ft diameter
Earth transfer with stone, wood and moss

Installed at Lake Roland for Art on the Trail exhibit Northern mound or barrow; Fall phase; 12ft diameter moss circle surrounded by rotting cedar mulch found nearby. Photo by greg Dohler
Pollinator hexagon I with solitary bee house (2019)

My pollinator hexagon I installation has the addition of a solitary bee house above replanted pycanthemum viginianum (mountain mint).
Well of Passion, 2014

Well of Passion, Nature Art in the Park 2014. Vine balls constructed from wisteria vines, gravel and boulders.
Swalevine 2016, Adkins Arboretum,MD

This installation was part of the "Artists in dialogue with nature" outdoor invitational at Adkins Arboretum, installed in late spring/early summer 2016. The installation was constructed using mainly non-native grape vines cut from the surrounding forest. The vines were twisted together to form a long (approx 85'), snaking sculpture which followed the course of a swale which may have been a road at some point in time. In the construction of the installation, dead branches were blown off and dropped into the swale, these branches were dug into the ground and used to support the heavy mass of vines. The sculpture was deemed finished when the vines became too heavy to manipulate. The native vine passionflower (passiflora incarnata), was planted at the beginning of the swalevine. The installation brings up the subject of native and non-native species and their battle for dominance in the american ecosystem.
Pollinator Hexagon IV

Pollinator Hexagon IV (2018); Installed for the Art on the Waterfront show in Middle branch Park. The stone was delaware river gravel. Central zone; Rudbeckia maxima (giant coneflower) Middle zones; Echinacea purpurea "magnus" (purple coneflower) Outer zones Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed)
Pollinator Hexagon V

Pollinator Hexagon V (2018); Installed for the Artists in Dialogue with Nature show at Adkins Arboretum, Ridgely MD. The dead wood was collected from around the Arboretum and was a mixture of loblolly pine, red maple and other native trees. Central zone; Rudbeckia maxima (giant cone flower), Middle zones Echinacea purpurea "rubinstern" (purple coneflower) outer zones; Solidago hybrida "little lemon" (Little lomon goldenrod)
Pollinator Hexagon II

This installation was part of the 2017 Inside/Out sculpture show at Montpellier Arts center in Laurel, MD. The stone used was colonial wallstone and the perennials were Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamont)
Jannis Kounellis stone wall 2002

This wall was installed as part of the 2002 Arte Povera show in the Hirshhorn museum in DC. We followed the instructions of the artist to create a free standing dry laid wall that was visible from both sides using local stone, in this case western MD fieldstone.

Pages from Sketchbooks (2015-2024)

This project shows pages from my various sketchbooks throughout the years. The sketchbook is a valuable tool for artists and should be used as often as possible. It helps spark new ideas, records the artist's thoughts and can be used to practice drawing or painting techniques.

Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks
Pages from Sketchbooks

Pages from Sketchbooks

Earth Works installed in Reykjavik, Iceland and the UK

These photographs document 4 projects installed on the beach near Reykjavik airport, Reykjavik, Iceland, all involving the stone basalt. My fascination with Basalt goes back to my Studies and work in geology. Basalt for me represents the movement and creation of possible land masses through plate tectonics, an important part of Earth's geological history. Interestingly Reykjavic has imported yellow sand from the US to replace the black basalt sand native to Iceland, for use on one of it's recreational beeches.
2009 Basaltic Hexagon project; Basalt stones were collected and placed in a hexagonal pattern, each hexagon approx. 3ft in width. The pattern reflects the nature of basalt when emerging from the earth, it often forms large hexagonal layers. The installation was started at low tide, I then worked until high tide started to lap on to the completed hexagons.
2010 Basalt high tide markers; In this project I guessed at the position of high tide on the shoreline. Then basalt was collected and placed to mark high tide. The next day when I visited the installation and found that I had marked the high tide mark accurately; below the basalt stones on the ocean side the beach was frozen, above the stones on the landward side the basalt remained unfrozen.
2012 Basalt circle; Basalt was collected and placed in a 12ft diameter circle with a hexagonal shape in the middle, this was installed at low tide. At high tide the circle was slowly flooded out and destroyed.
2014 The worship of Basalt I and II; Location directly at the end of runway for Reykjavik airport. A large basalt boulder (approx. 3ft long) lying secluded from the surrounding rocks was selected for the installation. Small basalt stones with kelp attached were selected then dragged across the sand and placed with the stones facing the boulder. The action of dragging the stones across the sand (which had a light dusting of snow on it) left interesting lines on the beach. The installation was performed 2 times on consecutive days (high tide washing away the stones overnight); in part 1 a hexagon was formed around the boulder, in part 2 the shape was an outline of the boulder.
The remaining pictures are a selection on projects installed in the UK.

The worship of Basalt (pt. 1)

THE WORSHIP OF BASALT (Pt. 1) 2014 Installed on the Beach near Reykjavik airport, Reykjavik, Iceland. Basalt boulder surrounded by small basalt stones with kelp attached. The hexagonal shape reflects the form basalt takes when deposited in large layers on the sea floor.
The worship of Basalt part 2

The small basalt pebbles encircle and pay homage to the boulder
The worship of Basalt

Small basalt stones with kelp attached. The roots from the kelp were able to penetrate the porous basalt stones.
Basaltic Hexagon project 2009

Basalt stones arranged in hexagonal form at low tide, late afternoon.
Icelandic Circle project 2012

A 12ft diameter circle constructed with Basalt stones, the middle section was left open in the shape of a hexagon. Installed at low tide.
Basalt High Tide Marker 2010

In this installation I walked along the beach at low tide and tried to guess at the location where high tide would come up to on the beach. Basalt stones were collected and placed to mark the positions. On return the next day I found my guesses to be correct, the atlantic ocean side of the stones were frozen while the landward side remained unfrozen. The effect was as if the stones had stopped the high tide at this point.
Stone Cairn (2022)

This stone cairn (5ft tall max diameter 22") was built with a mix of stone, constructed dry laid (no mortar). It will be eventually converted into a bee friendly water feature.
Chestnut Ivy installation 2014

Bouldry's Island in the river Waveney on Outney Common, near Bungay, Suffolk, England. Chestnuts attached to ivy hanging from a fallen tree.
Blakeney Point flint project #4 2007

Photo looking along north/south axis of installation.
Marsh circle #2 2012

Outney common, near Bungay, Suffolk, England. Cow manure circle 24ft in diameter.

Hampden elementary and middle school (HEMS) outdoor classroom and Druid Heights Nature Playspace

The HEMS project involved designing and installing an outdoor classroom and educational playspace featuring a native pollinator and wildlife garden, installed by my company International Landscaping and Design.
The Druid Heights Nature Playspace project involved transforming 2 empty lots on McCulloh St in the Druid Heights area into a community nature playspace with an emphasis on sustainability and native pollinator plants. The design was drawn up by myself with help and advice from The Druid Heights Development Corporation, National Wildlife Federation, The Univesity of MD Medical Center and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The installation was completed by my company International Landscaping and Design over a period of approximately 8 months in 2019.
https://blog.nwf.org/2019/08/bringing-nature-play-to-west-baltimore/?_ga=2.243302278.2098123358.1576712363-1506711329.1576529155

Hems Outdoor classroom and educational play space 2021
HEMS outdoor class room and play space, 2021

The HEMS project involved designing and installing an outdoor classroom and educational playspace featuring a native pollinator and wildlife garden, installed by my company International Landscaping and Design.
HEMS outdoor classroom and play space, 2021

The HEMS project involved designing and installing an outdoor classroom and educational playspace featuring a native pollinator and wildlife garden, installed by my company International Landscaping and Design.
Design for HEMS outdoor classroom and play space, 2021

The HEMS project involved designing and installing an outdoor classroom and educational playspace featuring a native pollinator and wildlife garden, installed by my company International Landscaping and Design.
Rep. Elijah Cummings Nature playspace dedication in Baltimore

This video has a small clip of the late great Elijah Cummings dedicating the playspace in august of 2019
Bridge over dry stream bed

Overhead view of the Playspace showing a bridge over the dry stream bed which leads to the rain garden.
Solitary bee house at center of labyrinth

This bee house will provide a nesting site for native bees, most likely mason and leafcutter bees.
Playspace view from McCulloh St. (east)

View showing playspace features such as hopscotch, sandpit with log jumps and the winding path with bridge in the background.
View of rain garden from the west side of the playspace

This view shows the rain garden which captures nearly all of the water that falls on the site. The plants in the foreground are rudbeckia fulgida (coneflower).
This view shows the steps and tee pee grow art structure

The tee pee grow art structure is made from bamboo canes with native vines growing up, one of the cypress benches is also visible.

Blakeney Point Flint Project #5 (cairn with fire and henge) Norfolk, England, 2007. Including the Blakeney Point Flint Project cabinet for the Artscape 2017 Fieldwork exhibition.

Installed on Blakeney Point, Norfolk, England, December 28th-31st 2007.
Exhibited as part of Artscape 2017 fieldwork group show.
Circle diameter 20ft, height of cairn 3ft
Blakeney Point Flint Project #5 was the culmination of 4 previous installations (or sketches) in exactly the same location on the western side of a large sand dune just above normal high tide. Flint was collected from the surrounding area and sorted into 6 colors; white, blue, light blue, black, tan, red. The position of the cairn and henge were marked, sand was excavated from the henge to form the mound for the cairn. The different colored flints were then placed to form the outer circle (white), henge (blue) and cairn (light blue, black, tan and red). Washed up vegetation (jetsam and flotsam) were placed in the henge.
Dry driftwood was collected and used to build a fire on the top of the cairn. The installation was a homage to the Neolithic stone circles found throughout the British Iles.

Blakeney Point Flint Project #5 2007

Photograph taken from the dunes just above the installation.Cairn, henge and stonework completed, fire lit and burning in the late afternoon.
Blakeney Point flint project #5

Photo taken from the sand dunes to the east
Blakeney Point flint project #5 2007

Detail of mound or barrow with fire burning, the entrance (to the right of the picture) marks north.
Blakeney Point Flint project cabinet installed for Artscape 2017 Fieldwork Exhibtion.

This cabinet installation was exhibited as part of the Fieldwork exhibition for Artscape 2017. It contained photographs, sketches, samples of flint, box constructions and reference books all related to the Blakeney Point flint projects installed in Norfolk, England between 2003-2008.
Blakeney Point flint project #5

3rd day after construction of Circle, henge and barrow.
Blakeney point flint project #5 2007
Blakeney Point flint project #5 2007

Photo just before fire was lit
Bakeney Point Flint Project cabinet (detail), Part of the Artscape 2017 Fieldwork Exhibition
Blakeney Point Flint Project cabinet; detail.

Detail of the Blakeney Point flint project cabinet installed for Artscape 2017 Fieldwork exhibition showing box constructions and flint samples
Blakeney Point Flint project cabinet (2017)

Detail of the right side of the Blakeney Point flint project cabinet show at the Artscape 2017 Fieldwork exhibition in MICA's Bunting building.

Mail Art

These are a selection of mail art cards (mainly pencil and watercolor) that in some cases have travelled great distances. I sometimes used mail art as a form of protest, as dealing with a physical card is more work than dealing with emails and I believe more effective. I have always been facinated with mail art and have been sending small sketches and drawings to friends and fellow artists throughout the years. Sometimes the postal stamps add an official feel to the artwork (as in the case of mailing cards from the Postal Museum in DC), thus changing the piece dramatically.

RIP Queen Elizabeth II

Watercolor sent form UK to USA the day after Queen Elizabeth's death.
Feather mutation Triptych (2020)

Feather mutation mailart triptych (2020) Watercolor, pencil, Ink on paper 12" by 40"
Mutated feather target (2020)

Pencil,ink and watercolor (10" by 13")
The expansion of the universe as seen through the bottom of a cup (2020)

Pencil, ink and watercolor on paper (10" by 14")
Arctic Refuge Drilling protest postcards (2020)

Arctic Refuge Drilling protest postcards (2020) Seismic survey paper, pencil and ink. Mail art, 12 postcards mailed to Bureau of Land management in protest of Arctic refuge oil drilling. The permits have been put on hold for now.
Postcard to President Biden, 2021

Collage, watercolor, pencil and ink, 10" by 14" on paper. Mail art to President Biden discussing environmental issues. I did get reply! (a form letter)
Protest card to Trump (2021)

Mail art protest; A copy of the constitution sent to Trumpy after his refusal to concede the election.
water color mail art sent from Norfolk (UK) to Baltimore (USA) (2002)
Water color mail art sent from Iceland to the US (2001)
Flint Pair (2002)

Water color on card (9" by 4")

Box Constructions

Assemblages: Wood, stone, oil paint, sand, photographs, natural and manmade objects.

BEE HOUSE (2019)

BEE HOUSE; Mixed media, 23" by 23"(2021). This box construction consists of bee tubes as used in solitary bee houses along with paintings, drawings and polaroids of work associated with solitary bees, specifically mason and leaf cutter bees. The box was shown at the Peale Center as part of the Baker Off the Web show and is now in a private collection.
The age of flint 2005

Box assemblage; collected flint, bottles, photographs, marbles, mirrors, geological drawings and text. 18" by 18"
Death by Cleavage 1991

Box assemblage; stone, ruler. 12" by 16"
Death by Cleavage IV 1994

Box assemblage; slate with red sandstone. 16" by 10"
The weathering of flint (pt. 1) (2005)

Box assemblage constructed with flint,stonedust, wooden ruler.
White flint circle 2005

Box assemblage; flint with sand and glue. 14" by 14"
Blakeney Point Box # L249 LF (2007)

Box assemblage; flint, maps, stamps, compass, photographs of installations, sand 10"by 10"
Death by cleavage III 1992

Box assemblage; Stone, crushed mica, toy tree, oil painting on board. 16" by 10"
Black Gold 1992

Box construction: red sandstone, mica, core sample (limestone), 35mm film, paintbrush, black and white photograph
Box sketches 2014

A series of 4" by 4" box sketches, containing stone, geology maps, photographs, water sample bottles. This series was inspired by the anti-fracking campaign in MD and talks about the relationship between man and water pollution. This Piece won first prize in the bridges in science exhibition (2014) put on by Towson Arts Collective.