CALIFORNIA PETALS is my latest public art installation using handmade paper and seeds for wildflowers. This installation is part of the 2020 Santa Rosa Metro Chamber’s “Open and Out” program of art events in downtown Santa Rosa, California.  The many colorful handmade paper flower petals that make up the installation represent different wildflower species of northern California.  The giant petals, each unique and handmade using plant fibers dyed with non-toxic dyes, contain seeds for that color of wildflowers.  After this window display comes down, I will “plant” the petals in an outdoor space to transform over time and produce living blooming wildflowers. With its potential for new life, this art installation expresses hope for the future and brings new beauty and color to the downtown area of Santa Rosa. “California Petals” will be on view at the storefront windows of 620 Fourth Street through Oct. 15, 2020. 

For more information:  www.openandoutsr.com

The photos below show me making some of the handmade paper “petals” for the installation in my studio.  Photos were taken by my husband Timothy S. Allen (https://allentimphotos2.wordpress.com).  I used buttercut stencils on my papermaking molds to get the different shapes of the handmade paper petals.  I colored the paper pulp (a combination of abaca, linen, cotton and paper mulberry fibers) with fiber reactive non toxic dyes.  The seeds for wildflowers in each color of pulp will produce California wildflowers in the same color as the handmade paper.  

Photos of the downtown storefront installation will be posted here after I install the many “petals” on August 6, and “California Petals” will remain on view through October 15, 2020.  Hope you get a chance to take a stroll through downtown Santa Rosa in the newly designated car free pedestrian only blocks of Fourth Street. Other installations and art events are also planned for this area. Many downtown restaurants and bars are open now for takeout and outdoor seating; wearing masks and keeping safe social distances is required. My installation is at 620 Fourth Street in the vacant storefront windows next to the Beer Baron Bar & Kitchen.

For more information:  www.openandoutsr.com

My “Flower Power” outdoor art installation with handmade paper and seeds for wildflowers was installed at Yolo Arts Center, outside the Barn Gallery, on March 5, 2020, and it is continuing to bloom. These photos were taken on June 9, 2020 by curator Janice Purnell. This artwork is part of the exhibition of environmental artwork by 16 selected WEAD artist members (http://weadartists.org) and also contains indoor works in the Barn Gallery. Here is a link for the online exhibition: https://yoloarts.org/online-galleries/
The outdoor works in the exhibition are available for viewing at any time. The exhibition is scheduled to close on August 22, 2020.

My outdoor installation “Flower Power” for the Women Eco Artists Dialog (WEAD) exhibition at Yolo Arts (Gibson House) in Woodland, California, is changing and growing and should have some blooming wildflowers in a few more weeks. The installation consists of handmade paper “guns” with wildflower seeds in the pulp to sprout, grow and over time transform the “guns” into living blooming wildflowers. I used dyed abaca pulp and blue jean pulp with wildflower seeds for flowers in the same colors, and I formed the various gun shapes with stencils. Today, Janice Purnell, Creative Director at Yolo Arts, placed 4 more “guns” that I sent to her by mail on the ground in the installation, and she also took these photos today (April 26) to show the wildflowers growing from the initial installation that was done on March 5 just before the “shelter in place” directive for the Coronavirus.

In these photos you can see the small green plants, especially the distinct foliage of California golden poppies. There are also other wildflowers in red, blue, yellow and white in the installation. It is great to see the flowers growing and hope to see blooms in a few more weeks, totally transforming these “guns” into flowers.  This exhibition will remain on view through August, and it is online only for now. Galleries are closed because of the Coronavirus, but neighbors can walk around the grounds of the Gibson House and see the outdoor installations keeping social distancing and wearing masks .

Here is a link to the online exhibition: https://yoloarts.org/online-galleries/

The exhibition at Yolo Arts Barn Gallery at the Gibson House in Woodland has artworks by selected WEAD (www.weadartists.org) members that focus on the environment. There are indoor pieces as well as several outdoor installations on the grounds. I also have an indoor installation (California Delta Rivers) in this exhibition.

Thank you to Janice and the groundskeeper at the Gibson House for taking good care of the outdoor installation and for taking photos to document the changes. We did have some trouble at the beginning of this installation I call “Flower Power” with critters digging in the flower box and maybe trying to eat the paper pulp, the tiny plants or the seeds! With theses outdoor installations meant to change over time with Nature as a partner, you never know exactly what will happen, and that is one of the exciting things that keeps it interesting.