Heather McMordie 'Below, Above (41° 42’ 41.75” N, 71° 17’ 22.11” W , Iva frutscens)'
Drawer 4- Below, Above (41° 42’ 41.75” N, 71° 17’ 22.11” W , Iva frutscens), print from etched and naturally corroded steel, 15” x 11”, ed. 15, June 2020
Artist Statement
My work uses printmaking, puzzles, and patterns as parallel avenues for exploring the complexities of soil, and is often informed by on-site research experiences conducted on my own and in the company of scientists. Below, Above is a series of prints that evolved out of field research experiences at Jacobs Point, Warren, RI, and that attempts to visualize the hydrology of a salt marsh. Specially prepared steel plates were buried and left to corrode in the saltwater-saturated soils of the marsh. These plates are essentially a record of water movement at that particular location, and collectively they create a “map” of high marsh and low marsh areas. These corroded plates are paired with an etching of the dominant plant species at that particular location. Together the printed pairs showcase plant-soil relationships within the salt marsh, and are in a way a “collaboration” between myself and the marsh.
Artist Bio
Heather McMordie is an artist and printmaker currently making prints, puzzles and paper installations informed by soil science. Her work finds balance between artistic and scientific exploration, and seeks to visualize the complex patterns and processes of soil systems. Heather received her MFA in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design, and her BFA from the University of Pennsylvania. Recent projects have been developed through field explorations and collaborations in Rhode Island, USA and Surama Village, Guyana, and have been exhibited in galleries and museums nationally including recent inclusion in exhibits at the RISD Museum, the Woodmere Art Museum, and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.
Drawer 4- Below, Above (41° 42’ 41.75” N, 71° 17’ 22.11” W , Iva frutscens), print from etched and naturally corroded steel, 15” x 11”, ed. 15, June 2020
Artist Statement
My work uses printmaking, puzzles, and patterns as parallel avenues for exploring the complexities of soil, and is often informed by on-site research experiences conducted on my own and in the company of scientists. Below, Above is a series of prints that evolved out of field research experiences at Jacobs Point, Warren, RI, and that attempts to visualize the hydrology of a salt marsh. Specially prepared steel plates were buried and left to corrode in the saltwater-saturated soils of the marsh. These plates are essentially a record of water movement at that particular location, and collectively they create a “map” of high marsh and low marsh areas. These corroded plates are paired with an etching of the dominant plant species at that particular location. Together the printed pairs showcase plant-soil relationships within the salt marsh, and are in a way a “collaboration” between myself and the marsh.
Artist Bio
Heather McMordie is an artist and printmaker currently making prints, puzzles and paper installations informed by soil science. Her work finds balance between artistic and scientific exploration, and seeks to visualize the complex patterns and processes of soil systems. Heather received her MFA in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design, and her BFA from the University of Pennsylvania. Recent projects have been developed through field explorations and collaborations in Rhode Island, USA and Surama Village, Guyana, and have been exhibited in galleries and museums nationally including recent inclusion in exhibits at the RISD Museum, the Woodmere Art Museum, and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.
Drawer 4- Below, Above (41° 42’ 41.75” N, 71° 17’ 22.11” W , Iva frutscens), print from etched and naturally corroded steel, 15” x 11”, ed. 15, June 2020
Artist Statement
My work uses printmaking, puzzles, and patterns as parallel avenues for exploring the complexities of soil, and is often informed by on-site research experiences conducted on my own and in the company of scientists. Below, Above is a series of prints that evolved out of field research experiences at Jacobs Point, Warren, RI, and that attempts to visualize the hydrology of a salt marsh. Specially prepared steel plates were buried and left to corrode in the saltwater-saturated soils of the marsh. These plates are essentially a record of water movement at that particular location, and collectively they create a “map” of high marsh and low marsh areas. These corroded plates are paired with an etching of the dominant plant species at that particular location. Together the printed pairs showcase plant-soil relationships within the salt marsh, and are in a way a “collaboration” between myself and the marsh.
Artist Bio
Heather McMordie is an artist and printmaker currently making prints, puzzles and paper installations informed by soil science. Her work finds balance between artistic and scientific exploration, and seeks to visualize the complex patterns and processes of soil systems. Heather received her MFA in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design, and her BFA from the University of Pennsylvania. Recent projects have been developed through field explorations and collaborations in Rhode Island, USA and Surama Village, Guyana, and have been exhibited in galleries and museums nationally including recent inclusion in exhibits at the RISD Museum, the Woodmere Art Museum, and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.