The sixth In a Time of Change project took place 2023-2024 and culminated with a group exhibition. This was the work that I created for the exhibit at the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts Bear Gallery in September 2024, Boreal Lexicon, Boreal Whispers, and Wetland Patterns.
Boreal Lexicon
Boreal Lexicon is inspired by forest ecologies and the complexity of their varied communications and relationships. Exchanges between all elements of the forest —trees, fungi, plants, weather, wildlife, etc, lead to complexity. In this work, elements of this complex system are represented by symbols that form a visual language, a personal forest lexicon. The symbols echo inherent dialogues, liminal forest spaces, internal and external influences and feedback loops within the boreal forest ecosystem. The patterns that emerge represent opportunities to observe how changing parameters like climate impact the sustainability of these systems.
Boreal Lexicon Key
Personal Symbols Activity
This activity is for teachers or anyone looking for a mindful artmaking practice. Download the Personal Symbols Activity for instructions on making your own personal place symbols.
T-Shirts & Hoodies
Order a t-shirt or hoodie with the Boreal Lexicon icons at the JMoss Art Printful store.
Boreal Whispers
cardboard, forest plants and animals, paper, acrylic, 15′ x 9′
“Boreal Whispers” is a kinetic sculpture by artist team Marianna Stolz and Jennifer Moss. It was crafted from recycled cardboard and natural elements from the forest. This work homages the resiliency and complexity of the forest ecosystem, where everything is intricately interconnected while recognizing our privileged life within this system. It is made of cardboard from tree matter, natural elements from the boreal forest, and forest-process-informed marks on paper by other artists in the larger exhibition.
Mirrored surfaces are integrated into this work to encourage dialogue with the idea of “boreal forest,” providing an opportunity for reflection on how we each personally connect with the biome in which we live and that sustains us. The holes symbolize not knowing all the answers in this complex system.
We invite you to consider our human responsibility as stewards of the forest. As the sculpture moves, the reflections shift—this is an ever-changing relationship that must be continuously reassessed for sustainability in the future. Our place within this biome is both significant and humbling. The connections we may feel are part of a large, complex, cohesive system where interdependence among beings is paramount to survival on Earth.
Wetland Patterns
A collaboration between Nancy Hausle-Johnson and Jennifer Moss with Special Thanks to Benjamin Maglio
ceramic tile, acrylic, 30″ x 30″
Wetlands are areas where the water table is near to or above the land surface long enough or frequently enough to develop thick organic soils and support plant species adapted to wet environments. With only minor land coverage, they offer refuge for nearly half of all known animals and plant species to live or breed.
In boreal and arctic regions, wetlands are classified based on their soil, hydrology, and vegetation. These factors all impact biogeochemistry. Wetland types include bogs, fens, marshes, permafrost bogs, and tundra wetlands. Bogs are hydrologically isolated and rely solely on precipitation for water. They have thick peat, low pH, and nutrient-poor conditions. Fens form less peat and have strong groundwater connectivity, supporting a variety of plants depending on nutrient levels. Marshes are nutrient-rich, with dynamic water levels and emergent vegetation. Permafrost bogs have shallow peat underlain by permafrost, with drier soils and limited nutrients. Tundra wetlands are treeless, with saturated conditions and vegetation like sedges and grasses, often found in continuous permafrost areas.
This classification system helps scientists understand and predict carbon emissions. The presence of permafrost influences the hydrology, affecting the levels of carbon dioxide and methane fluxes. This artwork explores these classifications using abstracted representation to better understand the boreal wetlands, their connections, and their characteristics.