Spotlight: "The Coastal Zone"
Spotlight gives me an opportunity to showcase a particular image or set of images. Close-up photos can display details from larger pieces. Background stories about the concept, inspiration, circumstances, or development of a piece can be shared, including progressive images of a work-in-progress.
Spotlight library: Is More Than, Interconnected, Rivers in the Sky, The Cost of Soft, AR 4, The Coastal Zone, Time and Tide, Frame of Consequence, Wings of Resilience
"THE COASTAL ZONE"
My Folding and Mending portfolio continues to evolve along with the accelerating impacts of climate change. Currently, my emphasis is on the Coastal Zone - the interface between land and sea where each is affected by its proximity to the other. Here the natural processes of flooding and erosion are now magnified by sea level rise, intensified waves, and storm surge. Human activities further stress coastal wetlands as dredging, pumping, dams, and levees make way for urban and rural development. Pollution from agricultural and storm-drain run-off impacts the health and ecological balance in these important ecosystems.
"Grassy Slough" is one of my first pieces in this series and references wetland imbalances brought about by humans. As part of my usual practice, I started by creating a prototype to use as a guide for hand-manipulating the prints. After several sessions photographing at nearby Elkhorn Slough, I was struck by the overgrown grasses prevalent in many areas. I printed two of these images to collage together and began with the folding process. Below you can see the front and back of the folded centerpiece image with the first stitches added.
These grassy shoreline plants help to stabilize the banks of the marsh. When they are exposed to high levels of nitrogen pollution from agricultural and urban run-off they show rapid growth, but fewer and weaker roots. Tidal action then knocks down the weakened plants and carries them away, making the marsh susceptible to erosion. I wanted to convey this imbalance with folds along the grassy and wooded shores.
The detail of the folded shoreline above is juxtaposed against a close-up of the overgrown grasses, which is the background image for this collage.
In this detail, tears in the wooded area are held together with stitching.
The shrubs are tied to the trees for support. The loss of one species in an ecosystem leads to the loss of others...all are interdependent.
And here is "Grassy Slough," the finished piece.
Why are coastal wetlands like Elkhorn Slough important? They are Earth's natural water filters, they are buffers for flood protection and erosion control, habitats for wildlife and fisheries, and they are carbon-storing champions. As stewards of the planet, it's our responsibility in the face of climate change to effectively manage and maintain the natural balance in these critical ecosystems.
The Good News:
In 2023 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) approved $2.2 million in funding to support a far-reaching restoration initiative at Elkhorn Slough. This funding, generated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and leveraged by the Inflation Reduction Act, will bring back species across this entire coastal landscape - from coastal grasslands to tidal marshes, eelgrass beds, and even native oysters.
I hope you enjoyed this Spotlight on the concept and making of "Grassy Slough." You can view more images from the portfolio in my Folding and Mending gallery.
Please feel free to send comments or questions via my Contact Page.