Poison ivy from Chester County nature preserve found on walls of local museum.

In a notable intersection of art and ecology, artists Amanda Marchand and Leah Sobsey recently explored the rich biodiversity at Waterloo Mills Preserve, situated approximately 15 miles west of Philadelphia. Their approach involved a deep appreciation for various plant species, including the much-maligned poison ivy, which they learned is essential for native wildlife. The preserve’s manager, Kevin Fryberger, highlighted that poison ivy serves as a vital food source for many migrating birds and is the exclusive nourishment for the Poison Ivy Leaf-miner Moth (Cameraria guttifinitella).

During their visits to the preserve throughout the fall and winter, Marchand and Sobsey collected materials from a range of native trees such as chokecherry, flowering dogwood, sassafras, and tulip poplar, alongside ten invasive species including privet hedge and Norway maple. This artistic venture broadened their understanding of the complex interconnections between various flora and fauna.

The artists approached their work differently than traditional plein air painters. Rather than simply replicating the picturesque landscapes with paint, they gathered local materials to create paint made from the leaves and petals they collected. This method led to the production of raw pigments that became the foundation of their artwork. The resulting creations highlight a profound transformation as the organic matter is reimagined into distinctive artistic expressions.

The influence of Emily Dickinson, particularly her plant album or herbarium, became a guiding theme for their exploration. During the pandemic, both Marchand and Sobsey, who previously forged a friendship at the San Francisco Art Institute, became captivated by Dickinson’s herbaria, which is housed at Harvard’s Houghton Library and contains over 400 pressed plant specimens. Faced with the limitations of viewing the collection only through digital reproductions, the artists decided to reconstruct it by identifying, collecting, and growing the 66 plant species featured in Dickinson’s album.

In executing their vision, they adopted historical techniques of ink-paint making and solar printing, exposing digital negatives of Dickinson’s herbarium pages on treated paper and allowing sunlight to form delicate imprints over periods ranging from one day to four months. This meticulous process unfolded in the backdrop of Waterloo Mills, where the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum commissioned the artists to create site-specific installations.

The exhibit showcases two prominent works, one titled “Talk not to me of Summer Trees,” comprising 56 color prints from 14 species of trees, arranged on a museum wall to illustrate a seasonal progression. The top prints reflect the vibrant greens of summer, while the lower prints showcase the autumnal reds and browns of more dormant periods. The other installation, “Estranged from Beauty None Can Be,” features a series of sun prints made from materials found both at the Brandywine and in Dickinson’s hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. It highlights the invasive species that threaten local ecosystems.

Both artworks resonate with a tactile presence and an embodiment of nature’s cycle, a concept further articulated through Sobsey’s comments on the thrilling unpredictability of color derived from different stages of plant growth.

The exhibition, titled “This Earthen Door: Nature as Muse and Material,” runs through September 7 at the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. It serves not only as an artistic showcase but also as a celebration of nature, urging viewers to recognize the myriad colors that surround them, often overlooked in the daily hustle. Through their innovative practices, Marchand and Sobsey have brought to life the vibrant palette that nature offers, intertwined with the legacy of one of America’s most cherished poets.

The entire collection of 101 works is also available for viewing at Rick Wester Fine Art in New York City.