Date of Award
Spring 5-30-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Printmaking
First Advisor
Andrew Raftery
Second Advisor
Mary Anne Friel
Third Advisor
Peter Stempel
Abstract
Broadly speaking, I am interested in the role of fine arts in translating the complexities of natural systems. This particular body of work explores the relationship between printmaking and soil science—just one of the many possible relationships between arts and sciences—with a focus on salt marsh soil systems. Generating public interest soil systems and other hidden ecological systems can be difficult due to the opaqueness of language and concepts surrounding these systems and a perceived distance (physically or conceptually) from the general public. Printmaking—with its inherent multiplicity, mediation, and readability—offers opportunities for making the seeming abstraction of soils evocative and relatable. The prints, artist books and installations presented here reflect on ten months of artistic and scientific experiences at Jacob’s Point, a salt marsh in Warren, Rhode Island. The vastly different scales—immersive installation and intimate bookwork—offer viewer experiences that are both expansive and intimate. My hope is that this work encompasses the physical experience of place, and evokes the power of an environment to inspire play, care, community and generosity.
Recommended Citation
McMordie, Heather, "Things that grew while I looked at the ground" (2020). Masters Theses. 426.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/426
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.