Berkshire Environmental Endowment Grant with Hoosic River Revival

I honored to received a grant with the Hoosic River Revival from the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. The Berkshire Environmental Endowment Grant will help fund an art installation along the Hoosic River in North Adams, MA. The community-driven installation is part of an ongoing awareness campaign for a clean, accessible, and safe Hoosic River. The installation will build off work from my 2016 Studio's at MASS MoCA residency. Special thanks to folks from the Hoosic River Revival, Williams College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, MASS MoCA and Sasaki Associates for sharing their insight, research and passion and laying the groundwork for this project.

Water Rights Open Studio

Join us for the Santa Fe Art Institute "Water Rights" Open Studio on Friday, March, 24, 2017, 530-645PM (pre-game to SFAI140 event). I'll have drawings (digi and paper) for viewing and critique. Plus a dozen other residents' work will be on view. Cheese and wine. Location: SFAI, 1600 Saint Michaels Drive, Santa Fe, NM. 

Harvard Gazette Feature

I am honored to have my Bullard Fellowship project at the Harvard Forest featured in the Harvard Gazette this past week. Read the article by Alvin Powell here to learn more about the project background, goals, and first public open studio on Saturday, April 29, from 12-4pm at my temporary Harvard Forest studio in Petersham, MA.. 

Water RIghts Now and Future

This March I will be "Water Rights" resident at the Santa Fe Art Institute in Santa Fe, NM. I will use the month-long themed residency to investigate regional water rights issues through the lens of landscape futures, policy, and speculative design. Local folks engaged/interested in these ideas, please reach out. More information on the project can be found here.

I'll return to Harvard Forest in April for the second half of my Bullard Fellowship...kind of like a half time show, but productive. 

Open Studio at Harvard Forest

Mark your calendars: I will be hosting an open studio at the Harvard Forest (324 N. Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366). on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 12 to 4pm. All are welcome to view and discuss ongoing work both in and outside the studio. Light refreshments will be served. 

New Year, New Work.

Testing 123 (design studies, prototypes, and tests).  New Year; new funaday-inspired series of design studies for the month of January. Daily creative output inspired by this fall's research at Harvard Forest can be followed on instagram and facebook. 

Paid Summer Internship at Harvard Forrest

Title: Hemlock Hospice; Arts-based science-communication of a declining species at Harvard Forest

Summer Supervisors: David Borden; Aaron Ellison

Researchers: Aaron Ellison

Project Description: This unique multidisciplinary project is an opportunity to explore and test the theory and collaborative practice of arts-based science communication with ongoing research at Harvard Forest. This research project aims to bring together relevant scientific, historical, literary, and artistic information that bear on forest dynamics. For example, scientific data from paleoecology, land-use history, disturbance, succession, and invasive species will be linked with writings in environmental literature, objects and installations of environmental art, and design precedents. 

For this summer project, we will focus on hemlock forests in New England. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) forests are declining in abundance as they are colonized by an exotic insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). As the hemlock woolly adelgid expands its range throughout the eastern United States, hemlocks are being killed and replaced by other tree species. The decline and subsequent loss of this foundation tree species is hypothesized to have strong effects on plant and animal communities and ecosystem processes. 

Hemlock Hospice is a student opportunity to research the theory and practice of science-communication. In addition to ecology, weekly meetings will also include discussions on installation art, communication design, design research and user-experience design within the context of science-communication. Weekly readings provide a foundation into past, current, and future trends of public engagement with science, specifically ecology and forestry. This research will include an exploration of new ideas and communication modes to move science communication forward. In particular, as a group, we will collectively explore the question, “How can art and design support science-communication to foster cultural cohesion around ecological issues and help inform ecology-minded decision making.”

The student will be co-mentored by artist-in-residence, David Buckley Borden and Senior Ecologist, Aaron Ellison on a studio-based science-communication collaboration and directly contribute to a mixed-media art project within the Harvard Forest. Over the course of the summer, the student will help create a variety of creative 2D and 3D art projects focused on communicating HWA research. 2D visual art work may include wayfinding, signage, and outreach and exhibition materials. 3D art work will include site-specific installation projects, i.e. small to medium sculptures within the landscape. 

Desired skills:
The student should have an interest in ecology, science-communication, art, and design. 
Some experience in digital design tools (Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD).
Fabrication experience with built works in the outdoor environment a big plus.

REU internship program details here.

Arts in Research Universities

I am delighted to participate in the upcoming Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities Annual National Conference. I look forward to sharing my Harvard Forest fellowship experience as a panelist on Ecological Reflections: Integrating the Arts and Humanities with Science at Long Term Ecological Research Sites. Details about the panel and conference can be found on the a2Ru website. 

Parts Unknown Flag Show

I'm delighted to contribute to the Parts Unknown Flag Show, curated by Brian Butler and Trifecta Editions, at the Aviary Gallery (48 South Street, JP, MA, 02130). I'll have one Harvard Forest inspired conservation flag (a collaboration with Jackie Barry of Denver-based Front Range Flag) and one silkscreen companion print on view. I plan to come out of the woods for the opening reception on October 6th from 6-9pm. The show runs through month of October. 

Moving Sale

Moving one's studio means moving artwork...all of it. Prints priced to move: Offering 20% off on all artwork in webstore for next week. Use code: "StudioMove" at checkout. Shop here.

Bullard Fellowship in Forest Research at Harvard University

I am honored to be awarded a 2016-2017 Charles Bullard Fellow in Forest Research at Harvard University. Starting in September I will be an embedded artist/designer at Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA for a year as I collaborate with on-site scientists, staff and visitors.  I am thrilled by the opportunity to develop a variety of science communication approaches with ongoing research initiatives and the chance to make a contribution to the Harvard Forest research community through applied creativity, workshops, talks and exhibitions. Central to my proposed program is research into past, current, and future practice of public engagement with science, specifically ecology and forestry. Research would include an exploration of new ideas, communication models, and practice modes to move science communication forward. In particular, I am interested in exploring the question, “How can art and design support science communication to foster cultural cohesion around ecological issues and help inform ecology-minded decision making.” 

Learn more about the Charles Bullard Fellowship and the Harvard Forest. 

Juror's Choice Exhibition at Uforge Gallery

I’m delighted to participate in the upcoming Juror’s Choice exhibition at Uforge Gallery curated by Flux.Boston’s Liz Devlin. I’ll be exhibiting select work from my Greater Yellowstone project. This group show runs August 5th to August 28th. Uforge Gallery is located at 767 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. Opening reception is Friday August 5th, 6pm to 9pm. Click here for event info.

Hoosic Expedition Returns

My recent Studios at MASS MoCA Assets for Artists Residency was a total delight. I enjoyed an inspiring experience in North Adams during the initial research/immersion into the culture and ecology of North Adams' Hoosic River. I look forward to returning this summer! Special thanks to folks from the Hoosic River Revival, Williams College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, MASS MoCA and Sasaki Associates for sharing their insight, research and passion. I am now gauging interest in realizing aspects of the Hoosic Expedition trail. To learn more about the Hoosic Expedition click here.

Hoosic Dailies

Nice start to a nice residency at MASS MOCA. For the next couple of weeks, I plan to post select "dailies" on the Hoosic project page. To see more WIP documentation, trespass photographs, and North Adams site-seeing snapshots, follow the experience on Instagram. 

Forest Studies At Aviary Gallery

Select Forest Studies will be on exhibition as part of the 2016 Boston FAD group show at Aviary Gallery. Opening reception takes place on Thursday, April 7th, 6-9pm. Aviary is located at 48 South St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. Come on out; it is spring after all.

MASS MoCA Residency; Hoosic River Project

I am looking forward to a Studios at MASS MoCA residency focused on the urban ecology of Hoosic River. I am actively looking to interview local folks, conservation groups and research scientists engaged with the Hoosic River Watershed. If interested in potential collaboration on this research-based art and design project, please reach out. I can be reached at davidbuckleyborden @ gmail.com

Forest Study Drawings

I continued my New Year's tradition of participating in the Boston Fun-A-Day  project by creating 31 study drawings during the month of January. This year's drawings were inspired by the scientists, research, ecology and landscape of Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA. I’d like to thank the Harvard Forest community for sharing their research, passion and insight. The complete set of Forest Studies can be viewed here. 

Forest Flag De-Install at 210 Broadway, Cambridge

Big thanks to the fine folks at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum's Corporate Art Loan Program for the opportunity of exhibiting the Trifecta Editions Forest Flag print series. I am amazed by the volume of art work the deCordova has on loan throughout the greater Boston area; a real win-win for artists and the museum's corporate funders. 

Featured in Range Magazine

Delighted to be featured in new issue of Range Magazine. Release party at @woolrichinc camp at #ORshow tonight from 4:30-6:00pm. Thanks again to team Range for supporting the work. 

Forest Study Per Day

Excited to continue my new year tradition of participating in the Boston Fun-A-Day project. This year's month-long series of daily creative output will be 31 study drawings inspired by the scientists, research and ecology of the Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA. Daily updates to be posted on my Instagram feed. 

Forest Study (4 of 31): Woodland Ecology Shrine: Woodshed-inspired shrine housing the stump of last known standing Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis) on Little Prospect Hill, Petersham, Mass. #studydrawing #hemlockhospice #futurescenario #funaday2016 #funadayboston