In 2019 I painted this for the 24th Annual Tulane Environmental Law & Policy Summit
Since the Flood of 1927, the Mississippi river has been engineered and controlled, no longer depositing the large levels of rich sediment that feed the land over time. This modification along with the dire effects of industry has led our region to have one of the fastest eroding coastlines on Earth with more than an acre of land being lost every hour, about 25 to 35 square miles per year. Nearly 2,000 square miles have already vanished in less than a century. This loss of land, not only reduces acres of rich natural habitat for a vast tapestry of species, but also leaves New Orleans and many coastal developments vulnerable to storm surge and damage.
In this piece I take viewers to the coastline, where the waters of the Mississippi river meet the Gulf of Mexico. Like a sprawling lily pad it sits atop a collage of coastal marsh, water and lines. In my work, I collage painted layers of Louisiana ecology and topography to emulate and bring awareness to the natural and artificial processes of change in the region over time. The use of the perspective grids in my work draw the viewer’s eye, but also hint at the man-made canals that cut through our fragile wetlands by industry. By collaging together these native elements of Southern Louisiana I celebrate the beauty of living with these natural features and consider how our modifications to natural systems will portend for the region’s health in the long run.
