Green Daughter

I really enjoy nature. Soaking it in, being awed by the beauty and variety of what God has thought up. It's enrichment of the soul. "Man was made for mountains, not mirrors," says John Piper. And I really believe that. This piece reflects the deep way in which we humans are integrated in the world around us. We are not separate from Nature; we are constantly, unthinkingly connected to it. For most of human existence, people have relied solely upon their environment for sustenance. Before the agricultural revolution, gatherer-hunters roamed wherever they needed in order to live. And that was the way of life that worked. There was far less disease, no social stratification, more balanced diet, less hours per week spent working.
This drawing is not permanent. I used no adhesive on the leaves. When they started to shrivel up, I tossed them out the window, and I did it without regret. The transitory existence of my drawing reflects that ancient way of life that we have forgotten. Ever moving, ever changing, ever thriving and ever dying.

The fact that this piece can only been seen as a photograph is purposeful. Taking photos of it while I was creating it was very important. It helped me see the image as a whole, since the only way to view it otherwise was by standing over it, which because of its size, distorted my view of it. As with Vik Muniz's work, the photographic element adds a layer of discovery, for when you know something is a photograph, you have to believe it, it is something in the world that exists, and you just have to figure out how the illusion is being crafted.
So, I think this piece really functions as a drawing and as a photograph.



(final project for my life drawing class. used leaves to depict the form. inspired by Vik Muniz. [link])