Nebula: A Growing Installation is a two part installation. The first was the clay graffiti and the second was the public seed ball share. The two parts became a growing, expanding art piece created by the community and yours truly.
Clay graffiti is an earthen drawing that can be applied to many surfaces. When I was finishing my undergrad at Western Michigan University, I began to experiment with clay in its raw state. These experiments eventually lead to clay graffiti. It can be easily removed with water, and, if given the time, it will naturally fall off of the surface. At my ArtPrize installation site, I embedding seeds into the clay graffiti. This means that after the clay served as a drawing medium, it fell to the Earth and spread seeds. Nebula is art the will “go to seed” and transform into plants. There was a row of growing containers beneath the graffiti to provide an arena where the public could witness the growth of plants. Seeds used include: crimson clover, sheep’s fescue, and 20 different Michigan wildflowers.
Seed balls were available at the Nebula installation for the public to take. I made seed balls constantly (with help from my friend Tom, thank you!) throughout the duration of ArtPrize in order to give away as many as possible. I also had two seed ball making parties where the community was invited to come make seed balls themselves. Together we created growing art that will last for generations.
Fall is my favorite season, and in Michigan, fall is especially spectacular. It’s a time of transformation. Plants are storing energy in their roots and flowers have gone to seed. They are preparing to be dormant throughout the winter. This is just what the seeds in the seed balls will do. Since they were released in September, they will stay dormant until next spring. Then beautiful plants will abound, and the best part is we did it together!
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Updates:
My Kickstarter has reached it’s goal! Thank you, thank you, thank you to my amazing backers: Alan & Wendy Wilson, Catherine, Cori, Kristin Yeager, Elizabeth Topliffe, Polly Anna Wilson, Jen Baye, Kathiy Trabert, Harry and Loreli Kravako, Leah Shuchter, Ronen Goldstein, Patrick Creighton, Brandon Manies, Kevin Walker, J. Shagam, Cort Cunningham, Rodney Martin, Tom Engleman, Arthur van de Graaf, Nathan Wittstock, Jennifer Rhorer, Sybille Palmer, Kelly Greenman, Lena Maude, and Amy Boucher. You’re the best!
I was featured on Wood TV8 on Maranda’s “Where You Live”. Check it out!
Pictures of the Seed Ball Making Party on September 24th at the Nebula installation at Flickr.
Nebula was in the Grand Rapids Press on my birthday. 