Sacred Box Series

The box format was a mainstay as the important design element for a number of series I have created. As mentioned elsewhere on the site, the box allowed me to create compositions and relationships that highlighted the three-dimensional qualities of the plants. I began to think about the box itself and whether the physical box could inject some other layers of content and meaning. I did a short series I called “Sacred Boxes” thinking about how indigenous cultures might celebrate and ritualize plants that had deeper meanings to their lives and culture. I chose three of the Northwest’s iconic plants – plants that played a huge role in the daily lives of the tribes here – the white oak, the Douglas fir and the camas root – all critical in the survival of our habitats and the people who flourished here for centuries. I tried to imagine what the incredible Northwest woodcarvers might create – intimate, sacred spaces to celebrate, honor and protect these important plants.