IMMERSION

Yesterday was my birthday, the Full Flower Moon, and the date I chose as the start date for IMMERSION. IMMERSION is the name I gave to a Research and Creation project I pitched to the Canada Council for the Arts last fall. One week before International Women's Day this year, I got the email. I didn't believe it. I made my youngest teenager read it. "Mom. You got the grant!" I don't remember inhaling. I do remember exhaling. It was the end of a long day. I walked over to my bed, flopped down and sobbed. Not gonna lie. The rest of the week, I 'happy danced'. I am excited. This is a goal that's long been wished for. I have since collected my thoughts and organized my plans. It's time to get to work.

So, what is going to happen?

First, Research. I'm documenting everything I see and learn and ponder over the course of the growing season. I've started a big dated diary-style scrapbook of notes, sketches and conversations to keep record. I'm also photographing a lot throughout the Meewasin Valley (my go-to for my art) and being very disciplined at keeping those images organized. 

I'm also taking you with me. I'm going to blog at least weekly to share what I learn and what I love.

There will be roses.

On managing time: I'm keeping my hours at the Modern Art Museum to a minimum (but never giving it up because I love it SO much) in order to focus on this work. After all, it is called IMMERSION for a reason. Over 6 months, you could live off this if you are frugal. Over 10 months, this funding can cover rent and supplies, so keeping part time work is necessary if you want to eat and pay utilities. That might have been different a decade ago when it was possible to cover a year without any other employment. The grant stipulations are to reduce employment and other activities as much as possible in order to focus on the project. Fortunately, I love my job and its flexibility, so this works perfectly. I've budgeted for art supplies and research materials as well. This will go May 2023 to March 2024.

What's this all about? Well, I explain to people that after nearly 15 years of artmaking based on the wide open prairie, I'm sharpening my focus. My textile art is generally horizontal, packing great amounts of spacious land into a small space. Based on many photo collecting trips throughout the Meewasin Valley, I am continually distracted by the little things: flora, colours, shapes, and all that grows underfoot. At it turns out, the big, empty prairie is in fact NOT empty. People drive through or fly over this open space often joking that there's nothing to look at. Wrong. You have to slow down, spend time, immerse yourself.

Winter is gone.

After this summer's research / collection phase, I'll spend fall, winter and spring bringing this prairie 'nothing' to larger than life art in the form of gorgeous (hopefully show stopping) work, possible in vertical format. To do a great job at this, I need time away from entrepreneur life to really concentrate on it and make it happen; make it SHINE. 

I have personal studies of herbs, plants and natural healing dating back to the 90's. Because my knowledge is based on Pagan / European folklore, I have so much to learn here. I acknowledge that I am living and working on Treaty 6 Land and the Homeland of the Metis. As the daughter of an immigrant, in the spirit of Reconciliation, I will seek permission and guidance from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers as required and provide compensation and proper thanks. I otherwise won't be sharing or teaching local Indigenous culture within my work as I don't feel it's mine to share.

As a visual artist, I come at it purely with OOH! Look! PRETTY! and not a lot much more intention than to share the joy I feel. When it comes to why this landscape is important, (beyond beauty, migration, and bees) I know not much.

My formal educational background is in Human Justice and Social Work. To move into Science and Ecology is something entirely new. The first thing I did was buy books. I'm learning about our precious Grasslands and reading the deeply insightful literature by Trevor Herriot, starting with Islands of Grass. He was kind enough, along with the Saskatoon Native Plant Society, to write a letter of support for this project. 

One of the most incredible things I've uncovered is the value of the Grasslands on a global scale. How did I not know this?? I was not looking for this information. It found me. While running errands, this interview was playing on the radio in my van, and I had to stay and listen to the end. I'm going to link the article here if you are interested. (Spoiler alert: we are an important ecosystem.) It really nails down that, "we are here! we are here!" scene from the Lorax. Since the Prairie cannot speak for itself, it's important that people do. 

Grasslands Store Tons of Carbon (Reference to Saskatoon Swale)

Article by Trevor Herriot (Reference to Saskatchewan / Long grass Prairies)

and another here

Grassland: The Unsung Carbon Hero (13 min listen) (US based shortgrass prairie)

And now I simply must work this information into my art. I have no idea how yet. It will come.

I was simply captivated by the beauty of my homeland. I honestly had no idea how scientifically important this place is. I feel so humbled to be plopped down into the middle of all this ecoactivism and essentially contracted to make a series of great big physical, beautiful works, with no doubt, another voice among many. WE ARE HERE said the plants. This feels deeply good.

For your information, I will include a link to the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan. A warm thank you to Chet Neufeld for all his generous information & support.

Earth has given us so much. It's humbling for me to be able to give something back in a way I feel skilled at.

Monika