Uncertain Ground Between
Steel and Tree
Ann Silverman (Columbus, OH)
Handmade paper, steel rebar, 33” W x 33” H
Artwork:
This art work is about humanity's fragile place between our needs and desires, and the health of the environment, which we need above all. The the rebar on one side represents the built environment and the bark, suggestive of a tree, represents the natural environment. In between there is a footprint, about the balancing act we must achieve.
Artist Statement:
I am a papermaker and I live in the woods. I made this work in response to a horrendous wildfire some time ago. There have been so many horrendous wildfires since then I cannot remember which one. The human built environment continues to push against the natural environment. One of many examples is that above ground parking prevents water infiltration, which threatens our aquifers. As humanity's needs and desires increase, so should our care for the environment, which we need above all, increase. I have an invasive shrub that threatens the health of the woods that surround me. I work to pull that out. At the same time I grow a patch of paper mulberry (ironically, also invasive) and I work hard to contain it into that one patch. The movement in my practice from the dirt of harvesting, through the water of making, to the receptive surface of a piece of paper is essential to my process and my pleasure. There is work involved in the care of our natural environment as we move forward.