2026
About:
Sometime last year, I learned about a flower that blooms seven years after a good rain season. I became fascinated by the type of care and attention that type of observation required. And the willingness to see a different kind of pattern emerge. I wondered how long it took to notice this? At what point did it become clear? How long did this stay undiscovered because of lack of funding or types of research that overlooked the value of this type of seeing? What other regular irregularities go unnoticed every day? How many other wonderous examples like this might we still be missing?
These frames were created during a 19 day residency at Vermont Studio Center in March of 2026. Each day, I took an expired polaroid and attempted to make a frame for it using mainly hand tools. It was a slow and labor-intensive process. The goal was to practically build my skillset as a new woodworker: to show up every day, try out a bunch of new methods, practice, and respond to what emerged. I was thinking a lot about neuroscience and what physically happens to our neurons as we develop a new skill, and what I might start noticing as my skills deepened over time.
I was also thinking about the flower described above, and perception, and change.
No conclusions yet...just a growing set of questions.
Set of 9 Frames
(and growing)
Made in support by Vermont Studio Center
Terms:
neurons, wood, trees, expired polaroids, frames, knowledge systems, perceptual tipping points, lightening, flowers