Autumn Rozario Hall- Artist Statement

 

I first fell in love with the prairie when studying art at the University of Northern Iowa. Wandering the twisting paths of the restored prairie calmed my mind. As I drank in grasshopper droning, late summer’s scent of grass, the pollen, the leaves, and the many colors, I felt grounded and renewed. The prairie sang to me in a way that allowed me to simply be.

I began my prairie series after I moved to Des Moines.  I immersed myself in the local prairie, sketching and collecting photos, and samples for reference. I wanted this series to capture the feelings I had while wandering those prairie paths.

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This idea blossomed into the series Prairie Seed Dreaming. The series explores the relationship between woman, plant, and pollinator, through botanically accurate renderings of native plants, and dreamlike imagery of women immersed in the prairie landscape. As the divide between woman and prairie blurs, the roles separating them blur, each becoming wholly dependent on the other.

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Through these paintings I invite the viewer into the prairie. This series will be used to raise awareness about the importance of prairie restoration and open a dialogue about the benefits of planting natives for both pollinators and people.

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Shown at the Octagon Center for the Arts.