Charcoal on paper, 2012
I share an identity of displacement with tumbleweeds of the West. Most species of tumbleweed that pervade the Western United States come from foreign lands. Salsola tragis, which is the species of tumbleweed known for its frequent appearances in old westerns , originated in Russia and was brought to the US sometime in the mid eighteen hundreds. Once here, it thrived on the open landscape and became the most pervasive species to sweep across the Western landscape.
Each of these tumbleweed species grows on the western plains. They are encased in borders that emulate design motifs of my various ancestries. You might recognize the Celtic knot framing Solsola tragis or the French baroque design framing Cycloloma atriplicifolium.
Ariel Lavery 