Dana Henry Martin

Animals

  • Be the Nudibranch You Want to See in the World

    From Kumataro Ito’s Illustrations of Nudibranchs from the USS Albatross’ Philippine Expedition (ca. 1908). What’s your vibe? Which nudibranch are… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Twin Fawns, Treats, and Sitting Right in Rooms

    I dated a man who didn’t like to be touched when he ate. Never, not by anybody. Not even me.… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    3–4 minutes

  • The Skeleton

    Two days ago, I saw what was left of an animal’s body on the side of highway 17. It was… 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Because I Have Suffered

    The birds are turning into flowers. For Easter, I’m hiding peanuts around the yard for the birds. Northern flicker: The… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    6–9 minutes

  • Geometry

    I found a heronry today near my home. Birds froze to things last night: utility lines, branches, feeders. They left… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Bird Blind

    Even after I forget who I am, I think I will remember birds. A feather floats to the ground. Whose?… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • The Lake of the Morning

    A therapist told me that EMDR changes the brain without conscious effort. Guess what else does that? The earth. Go… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 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.