Spider Plant Farm + Plant Hospital

I started a Spider Plant farm a while ago, but was presented an opportunity to share it officially with the public during the Art In Place exhibition organized by CNL Projects and Terrain Exhibitions. The plants come from one original parent plant that my mother had given me; one of many (including a Christmas cactus, a Sansevieria, an Easter Lily, and a few others) that have followed me to various places I've lived.

I've been propagating the spider plants for a while now and decided to offer them to friends and people who were interested in them. Like most of my projects, it started out with a different intention: I meant to give away a small potted plant at my mother's funeral, along with a small artists' book, but it didn't happen (I've since tried to give myself a break about the lapse). It may never be completed, just like grief never disappears. I'm still working on the book and it's now become part of a series that pay homage to all of the house plants she's cared for, given away, and made a part of peoples' lives.

This style of plant, with the multiple shards extruding from the base, have recently been incorporated into several drawings and sketches. Formally, they aren't very pleasing to draw. I don't find it particularly enjoyable to illustrate the forms in ink but when they are healthy and next to each other in groups, they always offer me a sense of immediate vibrancy.