The Summer of Installation: Rapprochement

As Pocahontas says, "You think you own whatever land you land on. The earth is just a dead thing you can claim..."

We as humans have a tendency to lay claim to whatever we want, with little to no regard for the consumption of our most valuable resources. We strive to own and control our 'property', and yet, when a tornado sweeps through the plains or a monsoon crashes over an island, we are reminded that Nature herself is very much alive. All that we build and destroy will be healed over again with the restorative powers of rain, wind, and time. As humanity accelerates into our own destruction, Nature will push against our steel and concrete, shaking off the burden of humanity as she regenerates and starts anew.

As a creative, my primary inspiration is Nature, though I find my work never quite matches up to the splendor of the real thing. It is, in its attempt to capture such intangible beauty, a way to bring nature indoors to connect with our earth when we find ourselves removed from the real thing. It is, in practicality, a friendly reminder to look up and look outside.

Knowing as I do that all things will eventually return to dust, I sought to speed that process along this weekend with the help of an active stream. I spent time creating colorful, nature-inspired patterns and shapes, knowing that I would have to allow Nature to reclaim them into the earth. And, of course, she did.