Soil & Water

My dad worked for the Soil Conservation Service for most of my childhood. When he died, I started doing rooted pieces. My dad represents my roots. Eventually, it moved beyond metaphor and I began to make the layered pieces that are a Soil Horizon, capturing the living soil, sub soils, stone and mineral layers, and aquifers, the stone layers that trap and hold water. I began reading and researching to make sure what I was building was scientifically accurate.

I entered the first large soil horizon I made in the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Show. It won a Blue Ribbon as well as an Excellence in Fiber prize and sold immediately. More importantly, I witnessed people standing in front of a piece of my art talking about living soil at the Fair, linking back to my father’s life’s work.