Artist Statement
My work involves organic compositions, animals and life experiences. I am inspired by the objects and places I see daily. Growing up in the countryside, I had a big backyard to play in. I was surrounded by plants and trees. This experience sparked the idea for my project, Wisconsin’s Prairie Ecosystem. My project involves designing furniture concepts based off important plants from Prairies. Many of the plants we see daily are not native to Wisconsin and are intrusive to the ecosystem. If we all pay more attention to the things we grow in our gardens and flowerbeds, we can heal the environment.
Through conducting research, I learned that prairie ecosystems are in danger. Agriculture, urbanization, and land conversion are the cause of the harm. By sharing and learning information about prairies and native plants we can help conserve the landscape. The three plants I chose to research are Milkweed, Purple Coneflower and Little Bluestem. Milkweed is an amazing plant and is threatened in Wisconsin. This plant is a great pollination source and functions diversly throughout the season. Purple Coneflower provides nectar for butterflies and Little Bluestem provides habitat and food source for wildlife. These plants and other living things work together to maintain homeostasis in the ecosystem. I choose to incorporate structures from the plants in my designs, such as creating the legs of the Milkweed Futon to represent an umbel structure. Through my designs, I hope the audience will have a newfound admiration for native plants and landscapes.
