Natura Statement

Artist Statement

     The artistic merit of the project Natura is to create natural forms from natural materials. Natura’s forms, materials, and imagery are all derived from the spirit of the prairie of Southern Minnesota. The inspiration for this body of work is the essential qualities intrinsic to natural forms found within the prairie. Historically, Natura is connected with works of Wolfgang Laib, Frank Lloyd Wright, Lillian Colton, and Mel Chin.
     Forms of nature found in Southern Minnesota’s Prairie describe the physical materials, subject matter, and experience of Natura. The mystic and magic found in earth, plant life, living creatures, and landscapes comprises this new direction in art. Materials common to the prairie will be composed as images of nature. These physical materials will be clay, natural fibers, charcoal, wood, and beeswax. The subject matter is directly inspired by the prairie and will include; landscapes, animal forms, plant life, light, energy and sound.
     My aim of creating and sharing this creative body of work is to embrace, appreciate, and celebrate the beauty found in forms of the prairie. The goal of this exploration of visual forms, inspired by nature, is to develop, create, share, and to appreciate a new direction in art. The goal of sharing this artistic vision is to provide a shared visual experience that will educate and enhance community life through its exhibition as a dialogue of meaning. The forum to engage in this dialogue is at the newly remodeled Riverland Community College, James Wegner Art Gallery. Riverland is an institution of higher learning in Southern Minnesota, and it’s teaching gallery is ideal as a venue to educate, create a dialogue, and enrich the lives of those who live within the region.
Dr. Michael Grenier