paper microscope

A while ago i became obsessed with the Victorian Naturalist sensibility. Their approach to understanding, representing and often fetishising the natural world seems to resonate in our modern views of natural spaces as drive-by view points and conversely as a way to reconnect with the spiritual. You can buy designer terrariums, taxidermy as home decor is en vogue once again and a few years ago 30 avid bird watchers ran across my lawn after a rare Russian species that was off it's migratory path. It is funny to think of appreciating nature as a reoccurring trend in western society. With all this talk of us entering a new dark age complete with super powers being overthrown and a different natural/man made disaster in the headlines every week it is easy to look back with rose colored lenses at a time when we were not bombarded with horrific news and hate filled opinions at every turn. When collecting shells was a status symbol and reading was the number one form of entertainment.

my microscope has some movable parts and was built to scale. It is made of heavy weight cotton paper and was part of an installation. I meant to create a printed pattern that could be cut and assembled, maybe next time.
Mary Delaney started creating flower collages in 1771 when she 71 and made 1,700 before her eye site failed her. Apparently 7 and 1 were very meaningful number to her.

I used an old type drawer to display my "pressed" plants as part of the installation with the paper microscope. It is interesting to watch the colors of the stained paper change over time.

While traveling up the Oregon coast, i visited "The Pioneer County Museum" in the town of Tillamook. A museum in a small town can be a much more private, unique and eerie experience then a major museum in a large city. They are often vacant and oddly curated with type written information cards and busted lighting. They definitely don't have the look of money. In the corner of a room packed with dioramas and taxidermy was a polar bear and two bison pushed together behind a screen as though someone just didn't want to deal with them.

a bird egg diorama

one of several painted dioramas

a sparrow with a red wing blackbird

on safari

While having dinner after my uncle's funeral, my cousin's husband told me i had to go on safari. He had gone big game hunting and that reminded me of some etchings i had made in college. I told him about my series and he was not impressed. I think i would like to go on Safari.

Mohawk trail

A few years ago I bought a headdress for $5.95 at a roadside store on the Mohawk trail. A feather broke on my flight back. Planes are too crowded. So if a feather symbolizes flight in the spirit world and a broken arrow represents peace than my ink drawing represents $5.95.