“The Ecology of seeing” at the University of St. Thomas Sustainability Arts Gallery

Opens: April 13th

Artist Talk: April 21st from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

Have you ever noticed the many hundreds of Orb Weavers on the Highland or Lake Street-Marshall Bridge in the height of summer and wondered how they got there? Did you know spiders can travel vast distances in a single day, ranging from just a few feet to hundreds of miles by ballooning in the wind? Did you know that Fishing Spiders use surface tension and water-repellent hairs to walk, skate, or run across the water?

Have you ever experienced the mayfly hatches that occur annually in Minnesota, particularly along the Mississippi River? Did you know they are an indicator of water quality? It wasn’t that long ago that many of our rivers and streams in Minnesota had no mayfly hatches because little or no sewage treatment was occurring during the late 1960’s through the early 1980’s. We were literally flushing our toilets into the Mississippi River. Have you ever counted how many different types of lichen are growing around you?

Lichen populations have declined along the Mississippi River, specifically along the Minneapolis-St. Paul's urban area and it is mainly attributed to habitat disruption. Lichens, such as Buttoned Rosette, help scientists monitor air levels of sulfur and nitrogen. What’s the point, you ask? We see the world by engaging with it—vision is an act, not a passive experience, and our past experience shapes what we pay attention to and what we unconsciously disregard. Our senses are in constant dialogue with our environment, always participating, whether we realize it or not, and the tiniest, often overlooked details speak volumes about the health of our environment—and, ultimately, about ourselves.

Noticing is now seen as an important wellness practice. Sometimes called "active noticing" or "mindfulness in action," it offers a way to push back against the stress, distractions, and lack of presence of modern life. It means intentionally focusing on the present moment—paying attention to your sensations, emotions, and surroundings. What was once necessary for survival is now essential for emotional well-being.

For me, noticing has become a form of activism.

I give myself time to notice everything—both the large and the small. I move more slowly and often travel alone so I can take in what’s usually missed and explore why it matters.

There are three dioramas on view at the at the University of St. Thomas Sustainability Arts Gallery (OEC Building). Each diorama illuminates a fragment of the UST campus environment I engaged with, capturing the vibrant details of a place that’s alive and always changing, even when we overlook it. The boxes invite you to pause and look closely; you can’t take a picture, so the experience becomes uniquely yours. Chances are, if you’re a local resident, you’ve walked these same paths and passed these same things.

Materials: up-cycled birch plywood, pine, and museum pedestals, gesso, archival paper, watercolor, acrylic, and latex paint, LED strip lights, door viewer, and PVA glue.