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.