Work samples
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concrete paver and fieldstones from the series On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Inks made with ground ivy, black walnuts, black cherry bark (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper with flowers from Jessica’s garden
8.5" x 5.5"
2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par•ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY
Documentation in late July 2023
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tending to
Handmade mineral pigment watercolor, charcoal & ink made from grapevine and fallen branches, inks made from black walnuts, mulberry fruit, sumac drupes, apple bark, English ivy leaves, rose-of-Sharon flowers, fallen leaves & Baltimore's first snow of 2022, on handmade abaca, kozo, cotton, rose-of-Sharon, & white mulberry papers.
Approx. 52” x 35” (dimensions variable)
2022
Drawing media created from botanical & mineral sources foraged in Baltimore City/County.
About Andrea Sherrill
Andrea Sherrill Evans (she/her) is an Arizona-born, Baltimore-based artist and educator whose work explores interconnection and resilience within the more-than-human world. Interweaving ideas and materiality, her drawings respond to local ecosystems, seasonal cycles, and changing landscapes. Evans has a long-standing interest in historical drawing mediums and processes, which guides her use of materials ranging from silverpoint and watercolor to handmade inks, charcoal, and… more
On Summer's Margin
The project, On Summer’s Margin, consists of a series of site-responsive drawings that explore nuanced connections between the local ecology and human activity within the landscape surrounding Mother-in-Law’s, a gallery and property in Germantown, NY. Using a palette of drawing media created with native and introduced plants gathered on site in late May, this work references interwoven natural and built features that dot the land. Images of dry stacked fieldstone, brush piles, and mown paths—rendered on handmade paper with inks derived from black cherry bark, ground ivy, and dandelion flowers—provide a window into the past and present history of the place. Installed throughout the grounds of the gallery, a group of framed drawings remain protected while their unframed counterparts weather under the late summer exposure. Over time, the fugitive quality of this work’s organic matter is heightened, allowing fabricated boundaries between the natural and human world to soften, blend, and fade.
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On Summer's Margin
Handmade inks made with dandelion flowers, ground ivy, black walnuts, black cherry bark, cattails, honeysuckle vines & leaves, spruce cones, flowers from Jessica’s garden, fallen willow branch charcoal, and pieces of worn red brick (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper incorporating cattail fiber and plant materials remaining from the ink making process.
Series of 24 drawings, each 8.5” x 5.5”
2023
All botanical materials (with the exception of abaca pulp) were gathered on the grounds of Mother-in-Law’s Gallery in Germantown, NY in May 2023.
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On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Handmade inks made with dandelion flowers, ground ivy, black walnuts, black cherry bark, cattails, honeysuckle vines & leaves, spruce cones, flowers from Jessica’s garden, fallen willow branch charcoal, and pieces of worn red brick (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper incorporating cattail fiber and plant materials remaining from the ink making process. All botanical materials (with the exception of abaca pulp) were gathered on the grounds of Mother-in-Law’s Gallery in Germantown, NY in May 2023.
Selection from a series of 24 drawings, each 8.5” x 5.5”2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par·ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY.
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On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Handmade inks made with dandelion flowers, ground ivy, black walnuts, black cherry bark, cattails, honeysuckle vines & leaves, spruce cones, flowers from Jessica’s garden, fallen willow branch charcoal, and pieces of worn red brick (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper incorporating cattail fiber and plant materials remaining from the ink making process. All botanical materials (with the exception of abaca pulp) were gathered on the grounds of Mother-in-Law’s Gallery in Germantown, NY in May 2023.
Selection from a series of 24 drawings, each 8.5” x 5.5”,
2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par·ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY. -
On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Handmade inks made with dandelion flowers, ground ivy, black walnuts, black cherry bark, cattails, honeysuckle vines & leaves, spruce cones, flowers from Jessica’s garden, fallen willow branch charcoal, and pieces of worn red brick (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper incorporating cattail fiber and plant materials remaining from the ink making process. All botanical materials (with the exception of abaca pulp) were gathered on the grounds of Mother-in-Law’s Gallery in Germantown, NY in May 2023.
Selection from a series of 24 drawings, each 8.5” x 5.5”2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par·ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY.
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another brushpile from the series On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Inks made with black walnuts, black cherry bark, a mix of flowers from Jessica’s garden, honeysuckle vines & leaves, and spruce cones (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper with cattail fiber
8.5" x 5.5"
2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par•ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY
Documentation in late July 2023
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another brushpile install weathered_0.jpg
Inks made with black walnuts, black cherry bark, a mix of flowers from Jessica’s garden, honeysuckle vines & leaves, and spruce cones (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper with cattail fiber
8.5" x 5.5"
2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par•ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY
Documentation in early September 2023 after drawing was exposed to the elements for 6 weeks
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decayed clapboard siding from the series On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Inks made with dandelion flowers, ground ivy, black walnuts, black cherry bark, and a mix of flowers from Jessica’s garden (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper with ground ivy
5.5" x 8.5"
2023
Installation view from the exhibition Par•ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY
Documentation in late July 2023
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decayed clapboard siding (weathered) from the series On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Inks made with dandelion flowers, ground ivy, black walnuts, black cherry bark, and a mix of flowers from Jessica’s garden (with color modifiers of alum, vinegar, soda ash, and iron) on handmade abaca paper with ground ivy
5.5" x 8.5"
2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par•ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY
Documentation in early September 2023 after drawing was exposed to the elements for 6 weeks
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fence (in black) from the series On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Ink made with fallen willow branch charcoal on handmade abaca paper with dandelion flowers
5.5" x 8.5"
2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par•ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY
Documentation in late July 2023
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fence (in black) (weathered) from the series On Summer's Margin (installation view)
Ink made with fallen willow branch charcoal on handmade abaca paper with dandelion flowers
5.5" x 8.5"
2023
*Installation view from the exhibition Par•ley, curated by Field Projects, installed at Mother-in-Law’s, Germantown, NY
Documentation in early September 2023 after drawing was exposed to the elements for 6 weeks
Flora
Interweaving ideas and materiality, the drawings in Flora explore ecological systems, seasonal cycles, and changing landscapes. This work is part of a larger practice of developing a relationship with a place by working with the abundance of its plant life. Using botanical materials carefully foraged in my backyard and neighborhood, along hikes and while traveling, I fabricate inks, watercolors, charcoal, and paper that carry a specificity of location and season. Experimental studies and tests document an investigation of each material’s characteristics, while intricate renderings of dense vegetation and botanical vignettes reflect and respond to the places of their origin. Together, these drawings speak to the work of tending to and rebuilding a relationship with the more-than-human world while grappling with and grieving our uncertain future.
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Flora: Amherst, VA #1
Handmade charcoal and goldenrod ink (made from fallen branches, grape vine, & goldenrod flowers foraged in Amherst, VA) on paper
10.25" x 6.5"
2021
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Flora: Baltimore #1
Handmade charcoal & acorn cap ink (made from fallen branches & acorns foraged in Baltimore City) on paper
21" x 21"
2020
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Flora: Baltimore #2
Handmade charcoal & acorn cap ink (made from fallen branches & acorns foraged in Baltimore City) on paper
22" x 22"
2020
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Flora: Baltimore #5
Handmade charcoal & acorn cap ink (made from fallen branches & acorns foraged in Baltimore City) on paper
20.75" x 20.75"
2020
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Flora: Baltimore #6
Handmade charcoal and acorn cap ink (made from fallen branches, grape vine, & acorns foraged in Baltimore City) on paper
44" x 30"
2021
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Flora: Baltimore #7
Handmade charcoal and acorn cap ink (made from fallen branches, grape vine, & acorns foraged in Baltimore City & County) on paper
44" x 30"
2021
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Flora: Amherst, VA #2
Handmade charcoal and acorn ink (made from fallen branches, grape vine, & acorns foraged in Amherst, VA) on paper
10.125" x 6.5"
2021
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Flora: Amherst, VA #3
Handmade charcoal and acorn ink (made from fallen branches, grape vine, & acorns foraged in Amherst, VA) on paper
10.375" x 6.5"
2021
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Flora: Amherst, VA #4
Handmade charcoal made from fallen branches and grape vine with inks made from Osage orange wood, acorns, and pine cones foraged in Amherst, VA on paper
44” x 30”
2022
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Flora: North Adams, MA #1
Handmade charcoal from fallen branches & inks made from Northern white cedar seedcones, Eastern hemlock needles, staghorn sumac leaves & drupes, red pine cones, and honey locust seed pods foraged in North Adams, MA, on paper
10.25” x 7”
2022
Handmade Material Studies
Incorporating handmade inks, watercolors, charcoal, and paper primarily created from botanical sources, these works are equal parts research and play. Through their presentation in different groupings, the drawings reveal an exploratory process of close observation and learning about the biology, ecology, and histories of different plants and landscapes. In "tending to" and "this soft world", handmade paper is intertwined with the varied media and markmaking of the drawings, providing not just a surface but a material with a presence and physicality of its own. With nuance and attentiveness, these studies and experiments speak to the desire to tend to and build a tactile relationship withthe earth while grappling with and grieving an uncertain future due to the global climate crisis.
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tending to
Handmade mineral pigment watercolor, charcoal & ink made from grapevine and fallen branches, inks made from black walnuts, mulberry fruit, sumac drupes, apple bark, English ivy leaves, rose-of-Sharon flowers, fallen leaves & Baltimore's first snow of 2022, on handmade abaca, kozo, cotton, rose-of-Sharon, & white mulberry papers.
Drawing media created from botanical & mineral sources foraged in Baltimore City/County.
Approx. 52” x 35” (dimensions variable)
2022
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tending to (detail)
Handmade mineral pigment watercolor, charcoal & ink made from grapevine and fallen branches, inks made from black walnuts, mulberry fruit, sumac drupes, apple bark, English ivy leaves, rose-of-Sharon flowers, fallen leaves & Baltimore's first snow of 2022, on handmade abaca, kozo, cotton, rose-of-Sharon, & white mulberry papers.
Drawing media created from botanical & mineral sources foraged in Baltimore City/County.
Approx. 52” x 35” (dimensions variable)
2022
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this soft world
Handmade mineral pigment watercolor, charcoal ink made from grapevine and fallen branches, black walnut ink, mulberry fruit ink, ink made from fallen leaves and Baltimore’s first snow of 2022, and sumac drupe ink on handmade abaca, kozo, and cotton papers.
Drawing media created from botanical & mineral sources foraged in Baltimore City/County.
Approx. 28” x 38” (dimensions variable)
2021-22
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Ink Studies
Handmade inks from botanical sources foraged in Baltimore, MD, Amherst, VA, and North Adams, MA
Approx. 27” x 27” (dimensions variable)
2020-2022
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Foraging wild grapes
The artist foraging wild grapes while in residence at The Studios at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA, 2021.
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Fallen leaves and first snow
Fallen leaves and Baltimore's first snow of 2022 gathered for ink making.
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Making ink with goldenrod flowersMaking ink with goldenrod flowers gathered in Amherst, VA at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts in 2021.
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Staghorn sumac drupe ink studyStaghorn sumac drupe ink study, version with soda ash to alter the pH and color, Baltimore, MD 2021.
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Hand beating Hibiscus syriacus fiberThe artist hand beating Hibiscus syriacus fiber for papermaking at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Hyattsville, MD, 2022. The fiber was gathered from plants in the artist's yard and processed by hand.
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Handmade Hibiscus syriacus paperHandmade Hibiscus syriacus paper, plant fiber gathered in the artist's yard and processed by hand, 2022.
Invasive
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Invasive #21, 34, 31, & 32silverpoint on prepared paper, each 4.25" x 6", 2016-18
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Invasive #36, 39, 33, & 30silverpoint on prepared paper, each 4.25" x 6", 2016-18
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Invasive #6silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6", 2016
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Invasive #43, 46, 38, 35, & 14silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6" each, 2016-18
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Invasive #26, 13, 12, 18, & 19silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6" each, 2016-18
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Invasive #16, 24, 47, 49, & 48silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6" each, 2016-18
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Invasive #43silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6", 2018
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Invasive #17, 20, 10, 1, & 2silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6" each, 2016-18
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Invasive #11, 23, 22, & 37silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6" each, 2016-18
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Invasive #28, 42, 25, 29, & 50silverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6" each, 2016-18
Creeper
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Window #1Window #1, silverpoint on prepared paper, 14" x 11", 2019.
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Window #2Window #2, silverpoint on prepared paper, 14" x 11", 2019.
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Window #3Window #3, silverpoint on prepared paper, 14" x 11", 2019.
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Thicketsilverpoint on prepared paper, 11.5” x 10.75”, 2017.
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Bosksilverpoint on prepared paper, 6" x 6", 2018
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Overgrowthsilverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6", 2016
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Rampantsilverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6", 2016
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Shroudsilverpoint on prepared paper, 4.25" x 6", 2016
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Copsesilverpoint on prepared paper, 6" x 4.25", 2016
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Intertwinedsilverpoint on prepared paper, 6" x 4.25", 2016
Garment for Growth & Portable Plant Studies
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Garment for GrowthHandmade garment (felt, plastic, brass, thread) with potting soil and lettuce, dimensions variable, 2017 (detail shot). Photo documentation of sculptural/performance work
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Garment for GrowthHandmade garment (felt, plastic, brass, thread) with potting soil and lettuce, dimensions variable, 2017. Photo documentation of sculptural/performance work
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Garment for Growth Drawing (Study)Garment for Growth (Study), silverpoint and gouache on prepared paper, 14" x 11", 2019.
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Portable Plant Study #1 (Persea americana)silverpoint and gouache on prepared paper, 14" x 11", 2015
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Portable Plant Study #2 (Persea americana)silverpoint and gouache on prepared paper, 14" x 11", 2015
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Portable Plant Study #3 (Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana")silverpoint and gouache on prepared paper, 14" x 11", 2015
Façade Series
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Factory, Remingtonwatercolor on paper, 6" x 6", 2016
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Sidewalk, Charles Northwatercolor on paper, 6" x 6", 2016
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Row House, Hampdenwatercolor on paper, 6" x 6", 2016
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Row House, Remingtonwatercolor on paper, 6" x 6", 2016
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Row House, Old Townwatercolor on paper, 6" x 6", 2017
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Row House, Lauravillewatercolor on paper, 6" x 6", 2017.
Firewood
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Firewood #43watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #40watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #37"Firewood #37", watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #36watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #32watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #27watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #23watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #14watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2014
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Firewood #5watercolor on paper, 10.25" x 10.25", 2013
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Firewood #1-50watercolor on prepared paper, each 10.25" x 10.25", 2013-15
Marker Series
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Marker #1silverpoint and acrylic on prepared paper, 29.5" x 20", 2012
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Marker #4silverpoint and acrylic on prepared paper, 29.5" x 31", 2012
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Marker #5silverpoint and acrylic on prepared paper, 29.5" x 36", 2013
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Marker #2silverpoint and acrylic on prepared paper, 29.5" x 33", 2012
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Marker #2 (detail)silverpoint and acrylic on prepared paper, 29.5" x 33", 2012
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Marker #3silverpoint and walnut ink on prepared paper, 29.5" x 23", 2012
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Marker #6silverpoint and acrylic on prepared paper, 29.5" x 23", 2013
Sculptural & Performative Works
These related sculptural and performative pieces reexamine the habitual ways that we connect to and consume the natural world. Fragmented pieces of wood severed from their environment are carefully mended and pieced back together with varying levels of success. While these gestures are bound to fail, they also suggest the possibility of transformation and renewal.
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Siblingsbirch and hand-knit wool, dimensions variable, 2011.
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Coppicebirch firewood and mixed media, dimensions variable, 2012
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WoodlotPerformance/installation with 1/2 cord firewood and string, 2013. Documentation from "8-Hour Projects: Performativity" at Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
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WoodlotPerformance/installation with 1/2 cord firewood and string, 2013. Documentation from "8-Hour Projects: Performativity" at Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
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WoodlotPerformance/installation with 1/2 cord firewood and string, 2013. Documentation from "8-Hour Projects: Performativity" at Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
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WoodlotPerformance/installation with 1/2 cord firewood and string, 2013. Documentation from "8-Hour Projects: Performativity" at Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
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WoodlotPerformance/installation with 1/2 cord firewood and string, 2013. Documentation from "8-Hour Projects: Performativity" at Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
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WoodlotPerformance/installation with 1/2 cord firewood and string, 2013. Documentation from "8-Hour Projects: Performativity" at Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
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Making Amends1 hour performance with wood and wool, 2011 Part of "Time Body Space Objects" at Proof Gallery, Boston, MA
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Making Amends1 hour performance with wood and wool, 2011 Part of "Time Body Space Objects" at Proof Gallery, Boston, MA