Understory and Dispersion 

Understory (2026) Papier mâché, handwoven paper, wire armature, water-based sealer

Dispersion (2026) Handwoven paper yarn, papier mâché, black walnut ink, water-based sealer

Understory and Dispersion grew out of my time at the Ground Rules residency in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Over five days, I shared meaningful conversations with fellow artists as we explored the park’s ecology and reflected on the theme Futureproofing a World of Care.

During the residency, the forest was alive with early summer growth. The floor was dense with maple seedlings, thousands of leaves reaching toward the light. On a walk through the old-growth Acadian forest at Lone Shieling, we learned that most would not survive. As summer progressed, the canopy closed and light diminished. However, some seedlings would persist quietly in the shade, waiting for a gap to open above them. Their survival depends on forces beyond their control.

With the idea of “futureproofing” in mind, I reflected on what it means to plan for what is uncertain. How does the forest do it? Through abundance. Maybe to futureproof a world of care, we must scatter care widely. Understory represents a forest of small acts of care and tentative beginnings. Subtle inserts of handwoven paper mark those that receive light and flourish.

Dispersion extends this logic toward action. Suspended sugar maple seeds, woven by hand on a floor loom and shaped with papier-mâché, suggest the deliberate act of planting and planning. The future is uncertain, but each seed cast carries potential.

 Photos by Corey Katz Photography