Perennial Parallels pt 2

I haven't come to a decision about my grant project on whether I'll include any plant I come across, or only native plants. I do know that if I chose both, I will identify which are original to prairie and which are not.

Part of me finds the current snapshot of what is growing here to be a good story, and in ways, a good parallel to us. Some plants have always been here. Their roots run deep. They are just made for this place. Some were introduced from other parts of the world. Some are simply not cut out for this climate and can't thrive. There are particular non-native plants which are invasive, destructive, and choke out indigenous plants. Consider that today, we are pulling Indigenous bodies out of the ground from the 'destructive invaders'. The parallels are undeniable to me. And then there are perennials that come from other lands that flourish in this ecoregion and are able to coexist. They now feed the birds, bees and wildlife side by side. Plants and people. Same, same.

Tansy in the Ditch. Naturalized, "Invasive weed"
You see how nothing else can grow with it?

Honestly, the source images I have taken in the past 15 years have been unedited in my landscape art. I have simply been drawn to the general compositions or plays of colours in the foreground (which are the sprays of flora in the ditches).

Me 5 yrs ago, Sweet Clover (naturalized from Europe)

I recall one very key solo exhibition I had in 2018, where someone stopped me twice to scold me for including invasive species. I listened. I let her speak and educate me. She was very passionate. I stood there like a dummy and all I could say was, "I just liked the colours and I wanted to stitch it." lol It's truly the only explanation I had. (I saw it. It was pretty.) I thanked her for the information. I took her pamphlet. I went to speak to other guests at the reception, and she came back again to start it all over. (THAT was difficult.) I didn't want to argue but I did have other guests who wanted to speak with me.

It's a passionate topic. I get it now.

Coincidentally, the plant she was referring to was the thistle currently being pulled at Meewasin. The ironic part is that I misidentified it! It was Purple Prairie Clover en mass, which is an original prairie plant. Remember this one?

Large threadpainting, now a small greeting card

In my ignorance, I stand by my word. I just thought it was pretty. : ) So I made art.

Hmmm. Perhaps THAT is a good parallel there. I caused trouble by not doing my research, and mislabeling something. We all know how social media works around that! I learned my lesson. I'll cross reference everything.

I think in this next body of work, however, I will acknowledge the Parallels. They present important questions, and maybe the parallels will present clues to solutions. How do we stop destroying, how do we protect, and how do we rebuild?

We can learn a lot from the plants.

~Monika K.

(always learning!)