From May 18th to June 22nd I was an artist-in-resident at Lobot Gallery in the industrial warehouse complex of West Oakland, CA. I completed three new large drawings and installed a piece, which showcased 19 of 33 known edible and medicinal weeds found within the urban landscape. Nineteen of the thirty-three were foraged from no more than a 3 block radius of Lobot. Each of the glass vials is supported by one or more colored rubber bands which correspond to the color coded anatomical drawings of internal organs. Pink, for example, demonstrates the plant is good for digestive complaints while yellow can be used for skin irritations, blue for respiratory, etc, etc. Many species can be used for more than one ailment. See more photos of the installation here. Some plants included:

Matricaria discoidea    Pineapple weed

Calendula arvensis   Calendula

Sonchus oleraceus   Sow thistle

Lobularia maritime   Sweet Alyssum

Raphanus raphanistrum Wild Radish

Capsella bursa-pastoris    Shepards purse

Malva neglecta   Common mallow

Solanum nigrum Black Nightshade (Parts are very toxic. Be careful.)

Trifolium pratense    Red Clover

Portulaca oleracea    Purslane

Rubus discolores  Himalayan Blackberry

          I'll be showing brand new works on paper at BOTH Ellen Miller Gallery and Howard Yezerski Gallery in Boston until July 10, 2012. These drawings are investigations into the possibility of urban foraging and the resource viability of plants, which thrive within city landscapes and surrounding industrial complexes. For example, one species I’ve been focusing on is Paulownia tomentosa, which is a prolific weed that can often be found sprouting out of brick and mortar. Paulownia has been used as a sustainable wood source in building small structures as well as musical instruments in countries around the world. It has only recently been recognized in the U.S. 

I’ve also been interested in urban edibles, which can also be used for medicinal purposes. I have highlighted this research in Schematic Digestion, which include plants that were used in a digestive remedy prescribed to me by an herbal physician. The plants include Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet), Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel), Taraxacum officinalis (Dandelion), Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice), Mentha × piperita (Peppermint), Calendula arvensis (Calendula). See more work from the show at my website.

Ellen Miller Gallery
38 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116
(617) 536-4650

Howard Yezerski Gallery
460 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118
(617) 262-0550