How will the materials be sourced?

Willow
is what immediately comes to mind. Not only does willow reflect the same properties as the lily plant, a willow grove is situated beautifully on the south shore of the lake. Roots from this grove extend beyond the drip lines of the trees and stretch into the banks of the lake, not only retaining the structure of the banks but also filtering out some of the impurities found in lake and storm water.

Live willow is extremely flexible and allows me to shape the frame (or backbone) of the structures. Smaller branches are harvested from the Arboretum. Larger branches are sourced from The Living Willow Farm located in Roseville, Ohio.

Willow is a light wood and is therefore very buoyant when placed in water. This occurs when an object's density is equal to the density of the water, creating a zero gravity effect.

Bamboo strips.
It became clear willow branches alone will not have the visual impact I am looking for. I want to 'fill in the middle' with a contrasting material, but still a material that holds many of the same properties as the lily plant. I have always been drawn to the simplicity and beauty of traditional Japanese basket making and often refer to this art form as a resource for the project.

Sourcing the bamboo strips lead me to Tiger Steven, owner of NaturalMaterialStudio located in Tianjin, China, a coastal area in Northern China recognized for its bamboo forests. Aside from bamboo's buoyancy, bamboo forests in China have the ability to play a significant role in combating climate change. Bamboo is able to store more carbon dioxide than most other trees and has the capability of becoming an abundant source of renewable energy.

Birch bark.
I was first introduced to coracles when I was selecting willow branches at The Living Willow Farm. I noticed a large structure on the workbench and was told it was the framework for a coracle, lightweight boats first used in Wales and Ireland but later making their way into parts of Asia and Tibet. Coracles are designed to suit local environments and are constructed with local materials. They are made from willow slats (when available) and other local trees, and bottoms are covered with animal skins. Materials utilized to craft the one-person, round vessels might often tell the story of the resources made available to the local populations. These small vessels are used primarily for fishing and traveling down narrow, local waterways.

I am overwhelmed by their beauty and simplicity and think about the relationship between these small vessels and the Japanese baskets. Both crafted for their functionality, yet so beautiful in design.

I chose to patch a few of my structures with birch bark in much the same way the bottoms of the coracles are stitched with animal skins. The birch, too, was sourced from Tiger Steven.

What needs to be made?

Now that my materials are collected, I am confronted with what to make and how to make it. I have never worked with any of these materials, and have no idea what this will end up looking like. Understanding what the materials can do and how one material can support the other two predetermines much of the design and imagery. But within those three markers, all structures vary in size, design, and percentage of each material used. I plan to populate the lake with 20 structures and view the installation as a community. It is important to me the community reflect a diverse population.

What will you see?

If you are visiting the Arboretum May 13 or May 14, 2021, you will be viewing the installation live. In the center of the lake, you will see a string of islands made primarily from willow, bamboo, and bark—tied together and gently bobbing synchronously to the ripples on the lake.

If you visit on May 15, you are likely to notice the islands have separated from one another (Pangaea) and have started their journey(s) to the shoreline. Onlookers walking the gravel path around the lake may notice more clarity in the structures as they float closer into one's field of vision. Structures already transitioning to the shoreline integrate with the natural surroundings, maybe even partially covered with leaf litter and other plant debris. After all 20 have reached their destinations, I will collect them and mark their locations with a small flag. Locations will be documented on an outline map of the lake.

Post installation

As structures travel across the lake, patterns will emerge. Will the structures travel in the same direction? Will some meet the shore quicker than others? Does shape impact velocity or direction? What does buoyancy and resiliency mean? Are there environmental factors that impact the way you see the installation? i.e. – wind coming off the lake, sunlight?

Observation is more than recording what is seen. It is a somatic way of looking at things—involving all of your senses, and then ... asking more questions.

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