Creativity and Surprises

I came to the final steps of mounting this painting of the coastal dunes of Pea Island, NC. I usually mist the paper before applying heat to the silicone film. I have done this many times without a mishap, but this time I was surprised to see large drops of water on the paper. “Not a big problem” — I knew the heat press would make the water evaporate quickly. What I didn’t know was some chemistry was going on between the paper and tiny particles of dried ink that had made their way onto the surface, and when I peeked at my press results, there was a dark blob in the middle of my sandy path. I pressed and pressed and rubbed and pressed, but the blob remained.

It was time for a creative solution that would turn this unsetting surprise into a profitable one. Almost immediately after I opened my mind up to alternatives, I realized I could make footprints in the sandy path, and then I realized that perhaps this trail of footsteps could tell a story about the human impact on coastal environments. Have a look. The trail narrows but doesn’t disappear going past the sign warning against trespassing in the “bird nesting” area. The good news is that the trail of footsteps is wider and stronger as it veers away from the sanctuary. Humans… we are messy and unpredictable but…teachable…