Dana Henry Martin

Photos

  • The Collection

    For my dif/Fused Ancestry project: soil samples from Oklahoma and Utah, flora samples, bones, stones, vases, pastels, hair, and other… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • We Gather for This Soil

    I got my great-grandfather’s soil today with my life partner and one of my very best friends, Jose Faus. We… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Morning, Toquerville, Utah

    This is how it starts. In the morning light. Toquerville, Utah, March 4, 2026. Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Worthless Words

    These are photos of the sculpture at Glore Psychiatric Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri, that I incorporated into a poem… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Sandy, Utah

    Five years ago today. Dimple Dell Regional Park, Sandy, Utah, December 24, 2019. Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Vermillion Cliffs, Arizona

    Lexi one year ago today. We were going to see a California Condor release. Vermillion Cliffs, Arizona, October 11, 2022. Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Norman, Oklahoma

    Me with my dog Shi Shi. Taken by my brother. Norman, Oklahoma, 1982. Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • La Verkin, Utah

    Clare, last night I saw horses, more than a dozen of them. First, I saw the dust they were raising… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Baker Wetlands, Kansas

    My friend Jose Faus in the distance at Baker Wetlands in Kansas, 2017. It was evening. We were alone. I… 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.