June 3-Sept 6, 2021: The Estuary Project: discovering the history and resiliency of the St. Louis River Estuary
I am both an artist and a plant
ecologist in Duluth. The inspiration for the Estuary Project came from my
experiences conducting vegetation surveys within coastal wetlands in the
Estuary. I was amazed at the decaying remnants of industry still present in the
Estuary - wooden pilings, sawmill debris, and abandoned ore docks with
vegetation pushing through the cracks in the cement foundations. Those examples
told a story of how much humans have done to the Estuary in the past. But I
also wanted to showcase the resiliency of this region through ballpoint pen
drawings depicting the nature we still have. The Great Lakes Aquarium was the
perfect location for this show with its emphasis on natural science and its proximity
to the Estuary. The viewing deck at the Aquarium invites guests to look out at
the open water and imagine what it might have looked like before , and what it
might look like after we are gone.
