Smilyglyph is a site-specific land artwork created in a field on the property of ChaNorth Residency, Pine Plains, NY, dimensions variable, Fall 2023.
This was my first time working with the land to make a geoglyph. The process involved mapping the land using knitting needles, string, and kitchen sponges; marking and digging the earth with shovels and trowels; placing two round mirrors as eyes; etching out the mouth (swoop shape); and filling the lines with bird seed.
The mirrors act as eyes reflecting the sky and natural surroundings, and the smiling mouth is a bird feeder, feeding birds and other creatures. As part of the piece, I set up a trail cam to capture nighttime shots of bunnies, deer, and flying things.
During the month-long Artist Residency at ChaNorth, I observed the turn of seasons as summer turned to fall in the field. Over the course of the month, I sat on my plastic chair, observing the natural surroundings of the field, capturing audio and video of animal/bug/bird activity. When people came out to the field to engage with the artwork, they remarked on the calm of being inside the field, engaging with me, and experiencing a pure connection with nature.
Due to the size and physical nature of working the land, this artwork was truly one of the most exhilarating things I’ve ever made. As a lover of emojis and symbols, this work forced me to think about the meaning of ancient land drawings and my smily face geoglyph. Seems basic, but a ChaNorth guest asked me What does the smily face mean to you? Then she pulled out her notebook and drew her own three-eyed smily face. The smily is a ubiquitous symbol that is both complex and goofy, which makes it so appealing!😊