Dana Henry Martin

Essays

  • Wildness

    Wildness is one of those words that looks like it’s missing a letter. I want another d or n. Something.… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    2–3 minutes

  • Heartbreaking Wombat Poem

    I will describe the heartbreaking wombat poem I wanted to write last night when I was too tired to write… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    3–4 minutes

  • Morning Prayer September 21, 2024

    In the fall, Tucson smells like mildew, dirt, and cold metal. The wildlands behind our home are full of mouldering… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Incrementally, Tenderly

    Morning Prayer September 21, 2024 In the fall, Tucson smells like mildew, dirt, and cold metal. The wildlands behind our… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • This Canyon

    The problem with this canyon is that it doesn’t know it’s a canyon, so it will go on being a… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Sacred and Desecrated

    One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds.  ― Aldo… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    3–5 minutes

  • Baltic Amber

    She tells me her name. It’s a faux portmanteau of candle and mandolin. She uses her digital SLR to show… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    8–11 minutes

  • Baubles

    Robin, by John James Audubon. Image used in accordance with U.S. public domain laws. This time of year, American robins… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    7–10 minutes

  • Midfield

    I want to tell you about the birds, the ones I’ve been watching for months now, as closely as I’ve… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    5–8 minutes

  • Wings and Air

    Leaves from our red oak appliqué the lawn. The fall-blooming plants have lost their flowers, save for two azaleas. Butterflies… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    2–3 minutes

PROCESS

  • Map and Research: Investigate the historical, geological, and ecological context of each collection site or reverse the direction, mapping sites based on ancestral and historical narratives.
  • Forage: Gather natural materials ethically, respectfully, and with permission.
  • Transform: Process foraged materials into custom mediums and physical resources for art-making.
  • Weave: Track the stories held within the land, braiding personal, ancestral, and ecological histories.
  • Create: Generate studies and finished artwork informed by the sites and physically composed of the materials collected.

  • Limits: Not all sites will be safe or accessible, which means some spaces cannot be entered, and some stories will remain incomplete. An empty container can signify these omissions.

purpose

ethics

Responsible Exploration: Committing to mindful presence, permission-based foraging, and minimal-impact exploration on every site.

Meaning

Embodied Storytelling: Engaging in sensory, place-based creation that connects the maker and viewer to the specific location and to the physical earth.

Reclamation: Unearthing and honoring lost, fractured, or overlooked histories embedded in the landscape.

Material Transformation: Celebrating the alchemy of turning raw, gathered earth into tangible, expressive art.

community

Public Education: Sharing the ecological and historical narratives of the sites to foster a deeper collective awareness.

Active Participation: Creating opportunities for community participation, engagement, and shared connection through the work.