I see gardening as a way to focus on the elements within my control as larger societal systems fail to address issues such as climate change and inequality. The act of gardening can be meditative and soothing, while also helping to create a sense of community as neighbors walk by to ask questions and chat.

I created this soft book after spending a full gardening season tending to a new front-yard garden featuring several plants native to Minnesota with particular emphasis on forbs, or flowers. The gardening was a comfort to me during an anxious time, and I wished I could embody that calm state of mind as I struggled to sleep. This soft book is a way to bring the forbs and that sense of calm to bed.

The book is made of custom-printed cloth featuring photography from my garden and illustrations of other artists who have worked with plants in the past. The spine is lined with a satin-finish ribbon, while the bottom edge has a silky green fringe. These textures can be soothing to the touch and invite the viewer to feel and examine the book. The scale of each loosely quilted page is 12″x12″ lending itself to a viewing experience that fills the field of vision when opened.

Artists featured in the book include: PJ Roggeband, Ana Mendieta, Lamar Peterson, and Meryl McMaster.