Dana Henry Martin

Trauma

  • The Others

    The last lines of Linda Gregg’s poem “The Girl I Call Alma” read:               Tell me we are one              and that it’s… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    1–2 minutes

  • Realms Beautiful and Terrifying

    Awake is my least favorite word when I don’t want to be. Our water purifier started making a high-pitched noise… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    2–3 minutes

  • Dead, I Wanted to Live

    I dreamed I died. I saw my body lying on its side on a gurney. I was wearing a blue… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    2–4 minutes

  • The House

    The house has been doused with gasoline. (You’re welcome in it.) The floor of the house is littered with matches.… 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 16, 2024

    Trees don’t move in the wind. They’re moved by the wind, the way we all react to unseen forces, unseen… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    3–5 minutes

  • Listen, Listen

    Morning Prayer September 14, 2024 Do not see the horrors of the world. Do not speak the horrors of the… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    2–3 minutes

  • On Writing, Poetry, Health, Trauma, Surviving, and Lucid Dreams

    This essay was written on Twitter throughout the day on January 1, 2023. — I’m drafting a new essay here… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    10–15 minutes

  • Lexi the Healer

    To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    2–3 minutes

  • Telling Lexi’s Story

    If you meet me when I’m with my dog, Lexi, chances are you’re going to hear her story. The story… Read more.

    Dana Henry Martin
    4–6 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.