Living Labyrinth – Echoes of Existence: A Journey Through Nature's Narratives To Redefine The Anthropocene. - Artist statement

Echoes of Existence: A Journey Through Nature's Narratives To Redefine The Anthropocene.

Echoes of Existence is a social sculpture site-specific art installation on the campus of Indiana University. It will reside at Hilltop Gardens in a field of manicured turf grass, creating a stark juxtaposition between a cultivated lawn's carbon footprint and a natural carbon sink. A work of conceptual art that the students of Indiana University will install. It is a living labyrinth, sculpted from the tapestry of Southern Indiana's native plants, embodying the region's rich biodiversity and echoing the inherent beauty of natural systems. In a land that once echoed with the thunderous presence of thousands of bison roaming the prairies.

The materials are modeled as b.bison grazing with a bird on its back, a tribute to the bison's eating and waste habits that have supported North America's ecosystems. The entrance, marked by native limestone inscribed with "What might seem like the endpoint..," challenges our perceptions of beginnings and endings, urging us to shift from modern humanity's linear thinking to a cyclical understanding of our relationship with nature.

 On the journey through this living labyrinth, one is engaged in a walking meditation guided by the rhythm of the winding path. A labyrinth has a fixed path, a deliberate design that allows your mind to wander freely, unburdened by the fear of being lost in a maze. On this path, one is immersed in nature's diverse colors, textures, smells, sounds, and movements, each element enhancing the experience and making every meditative walk unique.

The path culminates at another limestone marker adorned with rudimentary carvings representing the ecosystem's historical biodiversity that reappear when ruminants are reintroduced to the land. The inscription echoes, "What might seem like the endpoint...may also be the beginning." This mantra provokes contemplation on the cyclical nature of existence, where endpoints can transform into starting points. It encourages us to reconsider our landscape policies and redefine the Anthropocene Epoch as the age in which humanity falls in step with natural systems.

 Surrounding this internal limestone marker are four native tree stumps, representing the four stomachs of the ruminant's digestive system. They also serve as seats for reflection to digest how small acts impact extreme climate and biodiversity.

"Echoes of Existence" is a tribute to the enduring spirit of nature and a reminder of our responsibility to care for it. Inspired by wisdom from ancient Greek philosophy, this living labyrinth depicts all life as a complex journey of constant transformation of relationships and the knowledge that what appears to be an endpoint can also be a beginning. It invites participation and engagement in a dialogue with the land embracing life's cyclical relationships. It is not just an invitation to observe but a call to action-to think, to act, to regenerate.

links to other Living Labyrinth blog posts.

Artist in Residency at Indiana University- Living the Dream Installation.

IU- How do you draw a labyrinth?

IU- What kind of Labyrinth should I make? What is my site-specific message?

IU- How do you build a labyrinth from 8’ X10” to 83’ X 54’?

IU- Natural Systems - digestive system.

IU- The labyrinth design - How will it be installed?

IU- Living labyrinth- Building the grid.

Echoes of Existence-how to engage the students

I am slowly working to find solutions to the problems that will arise when the students implement the installation.

First, how to get students that are not comfortable with nature to want tobe involved. What will draw them in?

Second, a big problem is how to control a group of college kids in a field and have them complete a detailed installation.

Bloomington is a walking city. Every day as I would walk about town and the campus I worried about how I was going to solve these two problem. And like on most college campuses everyone is in their own audio visual world contained between the ear pieces of a headset. And I was the same. The difference was I still wanted to connect to those passing by me with a “good morning” or hi. I found the IU students were very focused on the sounds in their headsets they did not need to make eye contact or say hello.

In a discussion with an English professor, Shannon Gayk, who also teaches a walking class, I learned that a novel idea for students is silent walking. The idea of walking without a headset without sound — silent.

Thinking of headsets and silent - my mind went straight to silent raves then to a silent installation.

Would the concept of a silent installation draw the students in. Could this commitment to headsets be a possible tool for crowd control during the installation?

I love the idea. But that leads to another hurdle. How do I design a silent installation? What technology makes this possible?

With a quick Google search, I found several companies that provide everything you need for a silent event.

Indiana University artist in residence— conceptualism, the site, archeology and anthropology.

October 11th was the end of the first leg of my residency. The experience truly supports the statement you don’t get what you want but you always get what you need. I did not seek out the residency but I can see how it is helping me take my Social practice to the next level.

It is giving me the opportunity to use; the symbolism of a labyrinth, the regenerative symbol of a bison, the turfgrass of an institute of the US collegic system to change societal habits. These features alone are rare and hard to come by resources.

Exploring the campus and discussing my plans with all who would listen resulted in IU providing me with the opportunity to add a few more layers to the work. Specifically conceptualism, archeology and anthropology.

Conceptualism- The Eskenazie Museum on IU’s campus has one of the three complete collections of Marcell Duchamps readymades. Seeing these pieces of Duchamp the father of conceptualism from the 60!s and 70’s gave me the idea that my work at Indiana would be more impactful if it is conceptual.

As I began to plan the labyrinth design and installation I began to see how beautifully Conceptualism works with Social sculpture. If I create the concept and the design the steps to install it and the students implement my concept and design it becomes theirs. It won’t be my art they assist me with it will be their actions taking meaningful steps.

The last Monday at IU in a meeting discussing the actual installation process with one of the professors and directors of the Hilltop Gardens it was suggested I work with the anthropology department and Archeology departments when I return. Archeologists will be enlightening when it comes to installing the grid. The Anthropology department can help facilitate a possible relationship and sharing of culture between the students of the First Nations and the students who do not have a deep connection to the land. I would like the installation to be a catalyst for the two groups to develop a unified way forward, a new tradition or ceremony that will give them all together a personal connection to the landscape and the biodiversity it will support.

The next step is to get the University wheels to approve a site. To be the most successful the site needs to be a sea of turfgrass, have full sun, be spacious enough to accommodate the 85’ X 54’ bison, and accessible to the students and community.

I am thrilled to announce that in late January 2024, IU selected a sloped plot of The Hilltop Gardens for the installation.

Related blog posts

A labyrinth of what shape? http://www.cindeeklement.com/blog/2023/10/2/what-kind-of-labyrinth-a-seed-a-beautiful-design-a-bison-that-is-the-question

The design

http://www.cindeeklement.com/blog/2023/10/8/the-labyrinth-design-how-will-it-be-installation

From 8” X 10” to 53’ X 85’

http://www.cindeeklement.com/blog/2023/10/7/how-do-you-build-a-labyrinth

Bombus melanopygus - Black tailed bumble bee.

How the bumble bee got its stripes https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/600078

Bombus melanopygu, a captivating bumblebee species that I recently began studying for my body of work, “Rumblings”. As an artist, my process begins with thorough research, delving into the intriguing world of each unique species. Despite the limited information available, I find myself captivated by Bombus melanopygus and its enchanting research qualities.

Incredible breakthroughs have been made by researchers in understanding the color differences within bumblebee species. A recent study, conducted by experts at Penn State, has revealed the presence of a specific gene that drives these variations in color patterns. This discovery not only sheds light on the astonishing diversity among bumblebees, but also provides insights into the evolution of mimicry, where individuals adopt similar color patterns within a given area. The gene resides in a highly conserved region of the genome, which serves as the blueprint for segmentation. This groundbreaking research was published in the renowned journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on April 29, 2019. -

Interdependence

Interdependence

60” X 10.25” X 10.25”

Image by Jake Eshelman

Texas Bricks, Paint, Plastic Dome and Base, Vintage Globe Bank, Prop $100 bills, Coins from a diversity of economies, Paper Wasp’s nest on Maple tree leaves, Seashell with barnacles, Red swamp crayfish, bird nest, feather of a Pileated Woodpecker, Blue jay feathers, Mantis, Cicada, Great Purple Hairstreak, Tropical Checkered Skipper, White Peacock, Red-spotted Admiral, Monarch, Red lacewing butterfly, June Beetle, Eastern Carpenter bee, Wolf Spider, Beebalm, Sacred Datura, Bundleflower and various dried leaves.

Artist Statement

Interdependence is built from a collection of TEXAS-stamped bricks washed with a white patina. In a staggered stacked square skyscraper form, the bricks shoulder a transparent dome and base, crowned with a vintage Globe Bank finial.

Within the transparent dome is a still-life collection of intricately connected elements from natural and human-made systems. They wreath a "Houston" stamped brick fragment.

By using everyday materials that we typically associate with urban environments, the work conveys that the collective actions of Houstonians, living in a dense population center with a sprawling footprint and long growing seasons, have far-reaching implications for global economies. It is a reminder that our choices impact not just our immediate landscapes but global eco-systems as a whole.

This sculpture is not a warning. It presents a solution. I employ systems thinking to suggest that embracing economic systems is necessary to recover biodiversity. Economic systems dominate our culture and intimately impact natural systems. Houston's ecology and commerce can potentially create a new economy - an ecotourism industry. Houstonians can transform the negative impact of industrialization, commerce, and urbanization into a source of beauty, wonder, and economic growth by advocating for our natural habitats.

Interdependence invites us to rethink our individual relationship with the planet’s biodiversity, recognize the value of our natural heritage, and embrace the idea that supporting wildlife is a global responsibility dependent on a collection of individual acts. 

A Turn of Events: My Dream Installation on hold.

This summer, I was presented with an incredible opportunity. A curator asked me to propose my dream installation, a chance to showcase something meaningful. The site owner was willing to support and fund the work.

After much contemplation, I decided on a proposal that filled me with passion and urgency. However, last week, it all came to a halt.

I am sincerely grateful for the curator’s interest in my work and the site owner’s support. Their initial inquiry inspired this proposal, and I cannot thank them enough for that. I believe that everything happens for a reason, I have an idea and I am hopeful that I will find the project a site and funding.

First a little background. While at Indiana University, I became aware that integrating ecological recovery with natural systems is a new academic direction and numerous educational institutions are interested in this area. After all, universities and school systems are the largest landowners in any city and having research students involved would be a great asset. Transforming the proposed installation into an art/environmental science installation would significantly enhance the social sculpture’s reach and benefit a university and society.

Below is my proposal.

Introduction-

Global warming, food security, drought/flooding, wildlife habitats, economic instability, and health – these problems are not new to humankind. The archeology of ancient civilizations has recorded connections between the longevity of civilizations and the health of their soil. The United Nations reported in 2014 that the world's topsoil would only last 60 more growing seasons. Soil scientists around the globe agree that solutions to these issues are rooted in our treatment of soil—the skin that covers our planet. 

In a moment of global uncertainty, I ask myself, what materials and forms would I use to create the greatest impact on society and the environment? As I think of ancient civilizations' architecture, art, and spiritual practices, pillars and vessels played an important role in shaping their understanding of the world. Much of my previous work has been about conservation issues, looking specifically at Earth’s natural systems of bees, at waterways, at bison, at native plants, at recovery from Hurricane Harvey, and now at the underground systems of Earth. And so, I would use roots as my material and pillars as my vessel.

standingGROUND

In standingGROUND, I propose a four-stage installation of 5’-10’ tall pillars of various shapes grown from the roots of long-rooted prairie plants.

These pillars will be created by stacking various shapes of clay vessels commonly purchased from home and garden stores. The vessels with the bottoms removed will be stacked and centered on a steel pole cemented in the earth with a small footing for stability. The pots will be filled with a leaf-mold compost and seeded with native grasses and plants known for their root depth. They are to be nurtured and watered for approximately twelve months or until the plants are rootbound in the clay pillars. The clay will then be delicately broken away and the above-ground plant material removed, leaving freestanding pillars of delicately intertwined roots bound in the shapes of the stacked vessels. The root pillars will stand erect on the hidden steel posts.

Drawing inspiration from the rhizomatic root structures of native grasses that give structure to Earht’s underground life, these sculptures, woven by natural systems, standing above ground, will bridge the gap between sky, earth, water, and modern humanity. These pillars offer a glimpse into the intricate workings of an underground prairie ecosystem, the upside-down rainforest for carbon sequestration of North America.

Four Stages

The first phase of standingGROUND will focus on the sculptural aesthetics of the work. I will carefully build the pillars composed of ready-mades to be strong sculptural elements on their own. Once a site is selected, I will choose a paint color that harmonizes with the surroundings and emphasizes the sculptural qualities of the pillars. Lighting will play a crucial role in showcasing the sculptures in relation to their environment. I will paint the pots before the installation, touch them up, and paint the joints afterward. Information on the site will discuss the ecological and social aspects not yet revealed.

The second phase will be to install the pillars into an immersive experience. The towering yet human-like pillars will be positioned strategically to create an intimate and inviting space for viewers. Within this space, a stone or stump will be placed as a reflective seat, provoking thoughts on how our actions impact climate and biodiversity and how humanity can find harmony within natural systems.

The third phase of standingGROUND is when I physically chisel the ceramic vessels away to reveal the social sculpture aspect, the delicate white lace-like intertwined roots bound in the shapes of the stacked ready-mades bridging the gap between sky, earth, water, and humanity.

The fourth phase encapsulates the cycle of life, decay, and regeneration. This crucial phase is essential for ensuring life on Earth. The root sculptures will gradually erode and disintegrate when exposed to the elements. Once the installation has reached the end of its visual lifespan, I will carefully remove the root sculptures. The poles and footings will be relocated from the site. This stripping away of the remnants will leave behind a cavity in the ground previously occupied by the footings. Remarkably, this void will serve as a space where the roots can be placed to rest-regenerate and give birth to new life.

I started experimenting with the shapes in their root form last week. I initially created six sketches in the form of watercolor monotypes. Then, I researched more pot shapes with larger mouths and created four more in round 2. The images of these sketches are below. I will continue experimenting with these shapes as I work on a site.

standingGROUND II

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

StandingGROUND VI

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

standingGROUND round 2 #1

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

standingGROUND IV

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

StandingGROUND round 2 #4

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

StandingGROUND round 2 #3

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

StandingGROUND round 2 #2

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

standingGROUND V

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

standingGROUND III

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

standingGROUND I

Watercolor monotype

30” X22”

Hats and Storytelling.

Indulging in a morning of thoughtful stitching and reflection. Since my youthful days in the 70s shaping hats at my father's feed and Western Wear store, hats have held a profound meaning for me. They possess a unique ability to tell stories.

Recently, I acquired an extraordinary green hat from the talented artisan Edgar Alvarez at Gran Central Hats. Their craftsmanship captures the essence of customization, allowing ribbons, feathers, and all manner of embellishments to adorn your own hat. I made the decision to handle my own stitching, and I must admit, piercing through the resilient felt material is no easy task.

As I sit here, needle in hand, I find myself musing about the idea of incorporating elements inspired by the prairie grasses and the thriving ecosystem that thrives through the consumption and waste patterns of bison. It's a fascinating, how their actions actually contribute to the renewal of life. For instance, birds benefit from the ecosystem by consuming pests that break down bison dung. These birds utilize bison fur to construct their nests, as the fur provides antiviral properties, fortifying their eggshells. Furthermore, the grasses that flourish due to the bison's eating and waste habits offer nesting materials and shelter from predators.

I am hopeful that when finished this hat will be something more than a mere fashion accessory; it possesses the potential to be a powerful catalyst for conversations, stimulating discussions about our individual roles in the process of regeneration.

To Leave

The ephemeral beauty of nature lies not just in living organisms but also in their inevitable decay.

This morning, while examining “deeper than that” a private living sculpture art installation featuring indigenous plants, I was struck by the fading loveliness of the Rosinweed leaves as they withered. Contemplating the homophones “leaf”, “leave” and “leaves”, I pondered how societies historically understood the ecological value of allowing foliage to persist even after senescence. Is that why we call these objects a verb?

Leaves that have left a plant continue to nourish the soil and its microbial inhabitants even in death. Their decaying forms hold moisture, shade the living organisms in the ground, and provide nutrients as they return to earth, building a balanced ecology that sustains urban landscapes. They are an important material natures uses in its engineering of the water table.

Though a single leaf may seem a small, ephemeral thing, in aggregate and over time, the leaves left behind establish and uphold the very foundations of life.

Their decay is not an end but rather a beginning - a quiet, essential recycling of energy and matter that allows new growth to emerge.

In both the noun and the verb there are layers of beauty, and layers of ecological purpose, in the leaves left to molder where they fall. An ecosystem thrives on this gift of decay, using the ephemeral to fuel the eternal. Such is the profound, poignant cycle that the installation’s Rosinweed specimens, even as they bend and brown, help perpetuate. Out of seeming loss, abundance; out of death, life.

Leave your leaves and be grateful for their beauty as nouns and as verbs.

Living Llabyrinth- Building the grid

Building a Large Grid for Installing a Labyrinth: My Process. One reason I write these blog posts is to record my process. The other is to share information.

Constructing a labyrinth grid of this magnitude may seem like a daunting task. And it is for me. With the right strategy, it can be accomplished efficiently. As I embarked on this venture, I took the time to experiment and optimize my methods. Here's a breakdown of the process that was the most efficient.

To begin, gather the necessary materials: X-axis cords measuring 53 at 54' and Y-axis cords measuring 33 at 88' lengths. Keep in mind that the cords come in 100-foot lengths.

I wish I had of planned at 50’ by 100’ bison. The lighter is for singing the ends so they will not ravel. The tape is for tapeing the measured and twist-tied ropes for the installation.

I am making each cord that is a multiple of 5 a white cord. I think this will helpful the day of the installation.

1. X-axis cords: Start by unwinding the hundred-foot cord carefully, ensuring it doesn't become tangled. Here's a handy tip: tie a knot at one end and secure a twist tie next to it. Place the knotted end in a doorway and shut the door on it. This will hold it in place. Then, stick your arm through the middle of the looped cord and slowly unwind it, walking away from the door until it's completely straight.

2. Measure and cut the cord, leaving a few inches to knot and singe the ends to prevent unraveling. Tie another twist tie at the 54' mark. This will serve as the reference cord for measuring all other X-axis cords. Keep this cord secured in the door.

3. Take the leftover cord singe the end and knot it and tightly tie a twist tie inside the knot. Shut in the door with the reference length cord. Measure it against the reference cord and splice it with a piece of the next 100' wound-up cord to measure the 54' length accurately. Now you have a cord to start marking the grid on.

To mark the grid on the first cord—

The dining has been my studio work space. First I covered the 8’ table in a thick paper to protect it. Next I marked every 20” from end to end.

4. Prepare a long table by placing sheets of paper and securing them to the table so they will not slip. Measure and mark on the paper every 20". Lay the cord on the marked paper. To ensure stability, anchor the cord with a heavy object like a case of water.

I used a case of water to weigh down the cords.

Starting from the first knot, and twist tie secure each twist tie tightly along the edge of the table at the 20' marks. Continue tying twist ties until you reach the end of the 54' mark. You may have a little excess cord hanging after the last tie.

The 8’ mark of the table length and the last twist tie. I leave a few inches at the end just in case.

The first piece with every 20” tightly tied with a twisties.

5. Carefully wind up the cord, tape it securely, and mark it as X-axis 54'.

The first grouping of five- 4 red and the 5th white.

53 pieces - completed.

6. Finally, organize the cords by making four red and one white, keeping them grouped together.

IU - The labyrinth design - How will it be installed?

Once the grid is installed, the next step is to think about how to divide the work so that groups of student and volunteers can install my vision. .

Two options seem viable. The first idea is by marking the (X, Y) coordinates for each circuit of planting on individual pages. The other idea is by verticle rows.

Below I have marked the coordinates of the circuits. As I mark the coordinates I am not sure this is the way. I may need to break it down to smaller sections.

I can continue to consider how to breakdown the jobs as I begin building the grid.

IU - How do you build a labyrinth? From 8”X 10” to 83’ × 54’

How to go from an 8” X 10” paper to a field, Is the question ruminating in the back of my mind every day.

Unfortunately Bloomington is in between art supply stores. As a result I could not buy locally any paper larger than 8” X 10” . While I waited for an order to come in I pieced together 8 - 8” X 10” pages and scaled it up 2X.

When I scaled it up 2X I started seeing that I could take it to any size I wanted by using (X, Y) coordinates. I am using a 20” scale.

8- 8” X 10” paper to a make a 18” X 30” sketch.

How I could get a 83' × 54’ rectangular grid with right angles on a field was a big concern.

An idea came to me when I toured the charming Wylie House, a fascinating piece of history nestled just off campus. This historic gem, built in 1835, was once the cherished home of Andrew Wylie, the inaugural president of Indiana University.

The Wylie House master bedroom.

During my visit, the knowledgeable docent unveiled a captivating detail - the simple rope framework that upheld the mattress.

The antique bed’s rope framework that supports the mattress. What looks like a cup is the chamber pot.

A rope grid might be the answer to getting a proper rectangle With right-angled corners and grid onto a field.

This visual solidified my strategy for bringing the labyrinth design from paper to reality in an open field. The framework I need is 83’ × 54’ the vertical and horizontal ropes that cross every 20”. We can twist tie the coordinates together making the rectangle form.

The National Wildlife Federation - feature

Partnering with communities, schools, governments, and organizations across the country, the National Wildlife Federation is leading the charge for conservation.

Through their tireless commitment to protecting and restoring habitats, they have managed to breathe new life into endangered species like eagles, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and whales.

I am deeply proud to have my work featured in the prestigious fall edition of the National Wildlife Federation magazine. It is a true honor to be recognized alongside such incredible conservation efforts.

Artist in Residency at Indiana University - Living the Dream Installation — Labyrinth

Living the Dream as an Artist in Residence at Indiana University!

I couldn't believe my luck when I was offered the opportunity to be an artist in residence at Indiana University. Not only would I have access to all the incredible resources and opportunities of a renowned research university, but it could provide the opportunity to fulfill one of my monumental artistic visions.

As part of my two month residency, I'll be giving artist talks, exploring local artist studios, landscapes of southern Indiana, and creating a special piece to be exhibited at the University or in the beautiful town of Bloomington.

During my interview for the residency, I couldn't help but ask about the size of the campus. And just as I suspected, it is massive. I imagined it with expansive fields of turfgrass. I remember feeling my heart swelling with excitement and hope. Could Indiana University be the site for the monumental installation I dream of?

Let me explain - This summer seeing CARBONsink develop within Symbiosis at Lawndale Art Center and watching the community enjoy entering it made me think. I wondered if the CARBONsink relief was a step to create a larger piece using the same process but with a deeper meaning and making a bigger impact. A little bit of research regarding Greek philosophers and labyrinths and these thoughts turned into a dream. I have a vision of completing a living labyrinth.

I began studying the designs, meanings and histories of mazes and labyrinths. I was lured by labyrinths pretty fast. Mazes are puzzles and meant to confuse you. Labyrinths check all ny boxes.

-A labyrinth is a meditation. —

-There is 1 way in and 1 way out. What seems like the end is also the beginning. It is the perfect metaphor for inspiring ecological - societal perspectives.

-As an artist whose work in the simplest form looks at time and movement a labyrinth is a logical and interesting medium.

-A living labyrinth to convert fields of turfgrass into a living sculpture to regenrrate life.

Typically in an artist in residency one would take some time getting to know the University and the City before propsing their work. I could not contain my excitement so asked if the University would be interested in a site specific living labyrinth? It would be a social sculpture in the form of a relief that demonstrates the steps for turning the largest crop in the US - turf grass into the largest CARBON sink in the US. Ed the Associate Vice Provost for Arts and Humanities responded with great enthusiasm in his voice. Every summer the University and the city of Bloomington celebrate the life and writings of Kurt Vonnegut with the Granfalloon Festival. A living labyrinth would be a fitting art installation in conjunction with the festival.

For inspiration on my drive to Bloomington, I listened to Cat’s Cradle and Slaughter House Five.

Peck + Scratch

Peck + Scratch Installation

Eight chickens and two roosters were installed in Symbiosis, April 1, 2023, from 11:00-5:00

 There's more than eggs when it comes to urban chickens. Peck and Scratch is a throwback to when every family had a symbiotic relationship with these quirky feathered friends. It was common knowledge that chickens are miraculous energy transformers; they effortlessly clean up weeds and bugs from living soil while providing families with a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to chemical pesticides and herbicides. Plus, their waste is invaluable - it replenishes the soil with much-needed nutrients for plants to thrive. In addition, the protein-packed eggs they lay contain all the amino acids necessary for promoting brain health for early childhood development.

By offering a cozy environment, refreshing water, and a lush habitat, we're showing gratitude towards our curious and joyful friends and providing them a safe home away from potential harm. Instead of supporting factory farms, our chickens deserve to thrive in an ecosystem filled with living soil and all the essential components they need to lead happy, healthy lives.

It's time to think outside the (takeout) box and invest in the power of urban chickens.

CARBONsink rises — how to get rid of your turf grass.

“Carbon by the Yard” was a temporary relief in the shape of the Carbon element symbol, “C”. This simple gesture brought attention to the fact that gas lawnmowers emit eleven times the emissions of a new car.

Carbon by The Yard

In 2022, I transformed “Carbon by the Yard” piece into “CARBONsink ” using solarization and regeneration instead of herbicides to transform the turfgrass into biology. I then seeded it with wildflowers. The new piece soaks up rainwater, stores carbon and supports pollinators.

It is important to note that the EPA estimated that non-native turfgrass monocrops use one-third of all public water. In the US, this translates to 9 billion gallons of water daily.

These two social sculptures highlight how our colonial landscape decisions impact our carbon footprints.

CARBONsink 6/8/2023

DIY- check out the steps to install your own CARBONsink.

Soak the ground.

Use the power of water in conducting heat into the plot. Proper hydration will pull heat from the surface deeper into the soil, enhancing the effectiveness of solarization.

Cover the soaked turf with two layers of cardboard. This will smother the turf grass and use the suns energy to solarize it.

Soak the cardboard layer

Layer 4”- 6” leaf mold compost. I use Nature’s Way Resources and Heirlooms.

Spread the compost evenly .

Soak the compost , and level it for sprinkling the seeds.

Sprinkle seeds generously.

The seeds come from Native American Seeds.

Make sure the seeds make good solid contact with the ground. Press them in.

April 2023

June 8,2023

July 29, 2023

Planet Popsicles — and spam

I received a spam email this summer with a bold photo of a popsicle asking, “How do you cool off in the heat of the summer?” I immediately thought about how the planet cools off. That spam email inspired these ephemeral sculptures, I used the materials mother nature uses to cool the planet.

PLANET POPSICLES

6” X 1” X 12” ephemeral

Sticks, H20, Passionflower, Fall obedient plant, and American Beautyberry

PLANET POPSICLES

6” X 6” X 24” ephemeral

Sticks, H20, Passionflower, Fall obedient plant, and American Beautyberry, Beatles, Pokeweed, Scarbs, Golden Rod, passed butterflies, and passed moths

Symbiosis Relationships 10/2022

New World Giant Swallowtail and Milkweed and the health of Monarchs. This tropical mikweed HAS to be cut down November 1. The Milkweeds are the host plants for Monarchs. They need to move south by November and won’t head south if Tropical Milkweed is available as a host.

Monarch and Climbing Hempvine. Climbing Hempvine is an aromatic delight. It reminds me if warmed sweet honey. The Monarchs agree.

Purple Coneflower and the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly.

Mockingbirds and the fence. I have learned that birds need habitats with multiple elevations. The fence is a popular place for birds to look for insects and tiny toads to eat while keeping an eye on predators.

Monarch and Climbing Hempvine.

Ask upper of the Hesperiini family

Gulf fritillaryon American beauty berry.

GulfFritillary on Marsh fkeabane pictured below.

Marsh fleabane

Gulf fritillary and Lawndale’s mailbox. Over a few weeks the count in the doorway climbed to over 200.

In identified mushrooms.

Carpenter bee

Gukf Fritillary are eating everything

How nature arranges itself

Chrysalis on crabgrass stem

Morning glory, mile a minute vine.

Carpenter bee and Obedient flower

The White viened pipevinesis is the host plant for the Pipelvine swallowtails. I wish I had more. The caterpillars devoures it, and then it comes back.

Cloudless Sulphur and Turkscap

Hemiargus ceraunus, it blue ceraunus,an d pasted native plants.

Monarch and Blue mist flower

Northern Mocking bird perched on the fence.

Northern Mockingbird and trough pond

Hesperiina And Frogfruit

Pushfly and Passiflora leaf

True Sparrow stays in messy bush like spaces for safety and for a source of caterpillars

American snout butterfly

Gulf Fritillary with OE

“Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) is a debilitating protozoan parasite that infects monarchs. Infected adult monarchs harbor thousands or millions of microscopic OE spores on the outside of their bodies. When dormant spores are scattered onto eggs or milkweed leaves by infected adults, monarch larvae consume the spores, and these parasites then replicate inside the larvae and pupae. Monarchs with severe OE infections can fail to emerge successfully from their pupal stage, either because they become stuck or they are too weak

to fully expand their wings. Monarchs with mild OE infections can appear normal but live shorter lives and cannot fly was well as healthy monarchs.

Although recent research shows that tropical milkweed can lower OE replication within infected monarchs (due to high levels of cardenolide toxins), this might not benefit the monarch population. In

fact, this could actually promote disease spread by allowing moderately infected

I PROJECT MONARCH

HEALTH

monarchs that otherwise would have died quickly following eclosion to live longer and spread more parasite spores.“- monarch parasites.

Symbiosis Celebration: Eco—Systems

Symbiosis Celebration

social sculpture

—from Chemical Plants to Native Plants—

Native Wildflowers, Food, Art, Music and Migration

Fall color tourism contributes $1 billion per year to North Carolina. Houston has fall and spring color migration; we can cultivate them into tourism and build soil health.

“For profit is the fuel that will change society's landscape practices to embrace the planet's ecological systems in Houston. Applying economics and industrial concepts to my work, I see ecotourism as an untapped resource that can strengthen our environmental and economic health. I propose nurturing and marketing Houston’s ecotourism, through a Symbiosis Celebration of migration, that ultimately encourages and celebrates new mutualistic relationships between Houstonians and the planet. Through fostering relationships that regenerate Houston's micro-ecosystems, we will move our reputation from Chemical Plants to Native Plants — we can prosper as the Green Energy City.” — cindee travis klement

“If you dig deep and keep peeling the onion, artists and freelance writers are the leaders in society - the people who start to get new ideas out.” — Allan Savory

In April 2021, I installed the first native plants in Symbiosis, in Lawndale's Mary E. Bawden Sculpture Garden. Within two months, Symbiosis exploded with bountiful native blooms. Plants expected by the Ladybird Wildflower website to be one to three feet tall in Symbiosis were instead two to four feet tall. In June, the endangered native bees started returning. In the first twelve months, I have witnessed seventy new species in the space: from bird nest fungus to Red Admirals, Monarchs and skippers, skimmers, one of the bumblebees listed as endangered, Bombus pensylvanicus, treefrogs, toads and birds.

Building Mutual Symbiotic Relationships to Power Ecological Recovery

In preparation for the celebration I envision cultivating relationships among the City of Houston, local property owners, Houston's indigenous landscape and its wildlife, soil and climate, food, restaurant, music, visual and performing arts, museums and professional sports team communities.

 The following steps will contribute to building these relationships:

·       The business and private property owners will need to redirect their existing landscape budgets to native plants that support our wildlife.

·       These new landscape practice guidelines will align with the Mayor's Office of Sustainability and Resilience.

·       New native wildflower and grass landscapes will slow rainwater, allowing it to soak in and return to the aquifer to cool the planet while sequestering carbon and storing it in the ground where it is stable, providing food and safe habitats for our indigenous wildlife.

·       The approximately six hundred species of birds, four hundred and thirty species of butterflies, eight hundred species of Texas native bees, one thousand species of moths, eighteen species of dragonflies, thirty species of turtles, including two box turtles, and seventy-two species of amphibians native to Texas will expand their populations in our city.

·       Houston's creatives in the food, restaurant, music, visual and performing arts, museums and professional sports industries will respond to the new mutualistic/symbiotic relationships among Houston's landowners and our unique plant and wildlife in exciting creative ways and performances during the celebratory periods.

·       The City of Houston will promote, market, and support the above-described new relationships with its services infrastructure, completing the mutualistic relationship that will support Houston's economy and ecosystems.

Why Houston Can Support Ecotourism

Although Symbiosis taught me the speed with which an urban landscape can transform into a wildlife haven, it was not until I was in Fredericksburg that I realized Houston's ecology is an untapped tourist economy. When you combine Houston's rich soil, high humidity, heat and long growing seasons with the indigenous native plant landscapes supported by Houston's urban irrigated commercial and park landscapes, Houston's native plant wildflower and wildlife tourism can far exceed those of the small towns in Central Texas. Another tremendous asset is Houston's central geographic location in the bird and butterfly migration paths between the North and South American continents and our proximity to the Gulf Coast. Texas has the most butterfly species of any state in the United States. Houston's inner city is 600 square miles; our "sprawl" is an asset to urban ecotourism.

As additional support that Houston can be an ecotourism powerhouse, I have read that one of New York City's most popular tourist attractions is The High Line's native landscaping. In North Texas, Plano also uses wildflowers and music to attract tourism dollars.

Funding

I see businesses and organizations all over the city which are starting to take advantage of the ecological benefits of native landscapes. Unfortunately, many other property owners (business and home) are unaware of the economic and environmental benefits of native plant landscaping. They spend $50-$100 per hour for weekly maintenance and $4—$12 per square foot for seasonal plantings, while also incurring high water usage and bills. Suppose the City appeals to these businesses and individuals to convert their existing non-ecological landscape budgets to native wildflower and grass landscapes. In that case, the City can promote a native plant/wildflower and wildlife, food, arts and music festival that will symbiotically support native ecological systems. The supporting businesses can profit from the tourism they generate.

The Texas Can-Do Spirit

Systems thinking to mitigate climate through industry and the arts is a new territory — will Houstonians embrace this new field of thinking? In Texas, that depends on how you ask and present the need. In our recent history, from Katrina to hurricane Harvey, unsolicited Houstonians volunteered to help their neighbors. In 1901, wildcatters discovered Spindletop, drawing people worldwide to build a better life in unknown territory. “Wildcatter” is used to describe one that drills wells in areas not known to be producing fields. The spirit of the wildcatter is deep in our Texas Can-Do Spirit. It is in our nature to embrace a new field of wild.

Why Big Ideas Are Important.

“The climate needs big, public, audacious goals that everyone can contribute to,” he argues. “Cathedrals were not completed in the lifetime of anyone starting them, but communities bought into these projects.” -The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/12/19/climate-change-cathedral-project/

Symbiosis - the ripples

For many artists, satisfaction comes from selling their work. For me, happiness comes when others mimic my work.

A little over a year ago, I met a young couple with a commercial landscape business dept. I invited them to be part of my social sculpture water + air + citizen that took place this past winter. I shared with them the next phase of Carbon By The Yard. This spring I among many volunteers, briefly helped Maggie and Isaac install their inspiring monumental version this spring. Luckily it survived the drought and made the Chronicle.

This Novrmber 5th carbon By The Yardwhich will take place this November 5th. During the community family celebration on November 5th, the relief Carbon By The Yard will be transformed into Carbon Sink. Stay tuned to learn more.

Symbiosis Celebration — Social Sculpture

Symbiosis Celebration

Social Sculpture

Proposal

By

Cindee Travis Klement

Proposed to Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs June 8, 2022

Fall color tourism contributes $1 billion per year to North Carolina. Houston has Fall color migration,

we can cultivate it into tourism and build soil health. 

—from Chemical Plants to Native Plants—

Native Wildflowers, Food, Art and Music Festival

“If you dig deep and keep peeling the onion, artists and freelance writers are the leaders in society - the people who start to get new ideas out.” — Allan Savory 

In April 2021, I installed the first native plants into Lawndale's sculpture garden. Within two months, Symbiosis exploded with bountiful native blooms. Plants expected by the Ladybird Wildflower website to be one to three feet tall in Symbiosis were instead two to four feet tall. In June, the endangered native bees started returning. In the first twelve months, I have witnessed seventy new species in the space: from bird nest fungus to Red Admirals, Monarchs and skippers, skimmers, one of the bumblebees listed as endangered, Bombus pensylvanicus, treefrogs, toads and birds.

Since Hurricane Harvey, harnessing the power of public opinion to mutualistically build Houston's landscapes into healthy ecosystems has been the focus of my art practice.

In our web meeting, I explained that in my artwork, Symbiosis, sponsored by the City's Initiative Grant at the Lawndale Art Center, I integrate holistic, regenerative biological systems into an urban landscape. I was inspired to create Symbiosis because I have read that our cities are fast-forwarding evolution. If this is true, integrating holistic, regenerative biological systems into urban landscapes will fast-forward ecological recovery. In Symbiosis, I use systems thinking to find a balance between humanity and Houston's wildlife; already, since the installation began in 2021, we are seeing a return of the lower food chain, which is critical for supporting birds and other wildlife that control the insects harmful to humans.

In the systems thinking state of mind, I also realize that profit is the fuel that will change society's landscape practices to embrace the planet's ecological systems in Houston. Applying economics and industrial concepts to the work, I propose that ecotourism is an untapped resource that can strengthen our environmental and economic health. I am writing to you with a proposal to start a wildflower festival, a Symbiosis Celebration, that ultimately encourages and celebrates new mutualistic relationships between Houstonians and the planet. Through fostering symbiotic relationships that regenerate Houston's micro-ecosystems, we will move our reputation from Chemical Plants to Native Plants — we can prosper as the Green Energy City.

STIMULUS

18” X 4.5” X 10”

$1500 in large bills and passed butterflies.

Building Mutual Symbiotic Relationships to Power Ecological Recovery

I envision this festival cultivating relationships among the City of Houston, local property owners, Houston's indigenous landscape and its wildlife, soil and climate, food, restaurant, music, visual and performing arts, museums and professional sports team communities.

 The following steps will contribute to building these relationships:

·      The business and private property owners will need to redirect their existing landscape budgets to native plants that support our wildlife.

·      These new landscape practice guidelines will align with the Mayor's Office of Sustainability and Resilience.

·      New native wildflower and grass landscapes will slow rainwater, allowing it to soak in and return to the aquifer to cool the planet while sequestering carbon and storing it in the ground where it is stable, providing food and safe habitats for our indigenous wildlife.

·      The approximately six hundred species of birds, four hundred and thirty species of butterflies, eight hundred species of Texas native bees, one thousand species of moths, eighteen species of dragonflies, thirty species of turtles, including two box turtles, and seventy-two species of amphibians native to Texas will expand their populations in our city.

·      Houston's creatives in the food, restaurant, music, visual and performing arts, museums and professional sports industries will respond to the new mutualistic/symbiotic relationships among Houston's landowners and our unique plant and wildlife in exciting creative ways and performances during the festival.

·      The City of Houston will promote, market, and support the above-described new relationships with its services infrastructure, completing the mutualistic relationship that will support Houston's economy and ecosystems.

Why Houston Can Support Ecotourism

Although Symbiosis taught me the speed with which an urban landscape can transform into a wildlife haven, it was not until I was in Fredericksburg that I realized Houston's ecology is an untapped tourist economy. When you combine Houston's rich soil, high humidity, heat and long growing seasons with the indigenous native plant landscapes supported by Houston's urban irrigated commercial and park landscapes, Houston's native plant wildflower and wildlife tourism can far exceed those of the small towns in Central Texas. Another tremendous asset is Houston's central geographic location in the bird and butterfly migration paths between the North and South American continents and our proximity to the Gulf Coast. Texas has the most butterfly species of any state in the U.S. Houston's inner city is 600 square miles; our "sprawl" is an asset to urban ecotourism.

As additional support that Houston can be an ecotourism powerhouse, I have read that one of New York City's most popular tourist attractions is The High Line's native landscaping. In North Texas, Plano also uses wildflowers and music to attract tourism dollars.

Funding

I see businesses and organizations all over the city which are starting to take advantage of the ecological benefits of native landscapes. Unfortunately, many other property (business and home) owners are unaware of the economic and environmental benefits of native plant landscaping. They spend $50-$100 per hour for weekly maintenance and $4—$12 per square foot for seasonal plantings, while also incurring high water usage and bills. Suppose the City appeals to these businesses and individuals to convert their existing non-ecological landscape budgets to native wildflower and grass landscapes. In that case, the City can promote a native plant/wildflower and wildlife, food, arts and music festival that will symbiotically support native ecological systems. The supporting businesses can profit from the tourism they generate.

When

With Houston projected to double in size by 2050, if we start now, benefits will compound. The timing of the festival should fall during one of the migration periods.

The Texas Can-Do Spirit

Systems thinking to mitigate climate through industry and the arts is a new territory — will Houstonians embrace this new field of thinking? In Texas, that depends on how you ask and present the need. In our recent history, from Katrina to hurricane Harvey, unsolicited Houstonians volunteered to help their neighbors. In 1901, wildcatters discovered Spindletop, drawing people worldwide to build a better life in unknown territory. “Wildcatter” is used to describe one that drills wells in areas not known to be producing fields. The spirit of the wildcatter is deep in our Texas Can-Do Spirit. It is in our nature to embrace a new field of wild.

The Next Step

Recently I went to a free event at the Ion; the people giving the talk are in the business of researching the economics to support new business ideas. They also create "stacks" or PowerPoint presentations to gain financial support for new ideas. Their fee is $6,000. Unfortunately, it is beyond my budget.

Is this sort of analysis provided by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs or another City of Houston office to determine the new cultural or social events that would benefit our city?

The support of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is critical for social sculpture to transform the city from Chemical Plants to Native plants and earn the title of The Green Energy City.