installation
The secret life of plants: an exploration of pattern in natural forms
The Secret Life of Plants: An Exploration of Pattern in Natural Forms is a site-specific printmaking installation made for the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens. Generously supported by the Suzanne Kibler Morris ‘44 Fellowship, the work on view is the product of my studio art honors thesis project. Over the course of a year I spent extensive time in the greenhouses, working in dialogue with the plants and architectural space. Focusing on three main rooms (Desert House, Tropic House, and Hydrophyte House), I gained new inspiration in each distinct environment. I was interested in the shapes and forms of the plants, the layout of the rooms, and even the pots, pipes, and windows. Rather than an illustration or a replica of what is already there, my prints are more of an emotional response to the Botanic Gardens. A consideration of space and place, this site-specific project pushed me to discover how art can function in dialogue with the environment in which it is presented. The imagery for my prints is gathered from the plants, and the work is installed in the space where I collected inspiration.
Fall 2016-Spring 2017