Before Our Very Eyes
“Before Our Very Eyes” (31 x 18 x 10 in, detail)
Initially, I felt overwhelmed as I questioned as to how to convey the enormity of global warming and its urgency of need for the Encaustic Art Institute’s call for Global Warming is REAL exhibit. Thankfully, by connecting to experience that was close at hand, I was able to begin sinking into that exploration, one small step at a time…
Waxing up macro photos of the monarchs we raised led me into stillness where I could reflect on the complete dependency of these creatures and the ecology in which they live.
Deeper breaths ensued after sculpting them into form, a familiar and reassuring knowing from my hands that did not solve the bigger issue that looms large in my mind, but did bring quiet. Layers of dry pigment brought color back to the vibrancy hidden below many layers of wax… a slow and tedious process of breathing like back in…
Sewing wings together to create a narrative dynamic whole is both exciting and exacting, taking much slowing down and patience.
Working (and reworking) the background to represent the melting of our glaciers was a process of 3 completely different substrates being created, and I was grateful for the completed monarch swarm which motivated me to continue when the backgrounds took total absorption, concentration, and a willingness to start over. At least there was relief at the end with a suitable place to support these beautiful beings (as much as a contrast to their melting and relationship to the entirety of our planet being in dire trouble).
This part of the making saddened me the most, weighing heavily on my mind.
Here is the artist statement for the EAI exhibit that opens at the Encaustic Museum of Art in Santa Fe, NM, which runs from Sept. 21— Oct. 27, 2019:
"Last year our family raised monarchs for the first time, releasing them onto our land when they eclosed. Witnessing the changes day by day put me in touch with the fragility of their beings and their dependence on the many protective and nurturant conditions necessary for survival. Watching them grow through each delicate stage until ready to become hanging “J's”, form chrysali, and begin their process of emergence was breath-taking, flowing beyond words to complete wonderment, as reflected on my son’s face while two crawled across his hand, resting before their first flight into our fields and out into the world. As we sat in silence—eyes wide and hearts open— we experienced the miracle of their wings taking to open air. This experience brought home in a profound way that our choices matter, and empowers us to find ways to continue to act, big and small.
Creating this piece (out of photographs of the very monarchs we held) to depict not just the beauty, but the destruction of nature that is already happening, began as jolting and deeply disturbing. It put me in touch with a wide range of feelings— helplessness, grief, and anger. But as I continued to fully sink into the work, challenged by the materials and enormity of trying to convey such far-reaching implications through one piece of art, these emotions slowly metamorphosed into enlivening energy that grew. As I strove to convey the scope of global warming with a call to be moved into action, I was acutely aware that this is for not just our children and all generations to come, but for all living beings who are silently dependent on us for the very survival of their environment. May we be moved deeply to heal and protect the gifts of this precious world.”