YCEStudios

Immersed in terrestrial forests this past year as a student of the Master Woodland Manager program here in Connecticut, I think about how entire forests go unseen.

The forests of the ocean make an appearance in my notebook.

The forest realm is habitat for plants, animals and so much more. It is integrally connected to oceans, atmosphere, and our man-made spaces.

How can we, as humans, recognize this interconnectedness with these communities in our midst?

Our forests, as a whole are the unsung heroes working to make our world livable.

Can we pick up that forgotten mantle that connects our vision, our future, and helps us to see our allies?
Can we also claim the role of hero?

In my work, I consider complex communities and their encounters with other communities. The reef came to mind because I was coordinating concepts with . It was with her that I first experienced my first kelp forest. I was a reminded of my early drawings as a child. My first love was the complex reef community. Bright beings, building together, inviting other creatures , living and dying in place. Our kelp forests and reefs are shrinking. I piece together my valuable silk forest of scraps and invoke the material of making: shell and skeletal structure powder, algae and seaweed, and water. I am reconstructing reef. I am showing this piece . A thank you to for participating in this show. It’s an honor to be in this group show together.