Project: Installation

An installation of the artist's sketches and digital media.

Project: “Rubuto - Emprexx"

Composed, performed, styled and directed by Damkianna; Videographer: Parker J. Pfister, Dress Design: Aphro Thene

"Rubuto - Emprexx” is an ethereal film that serves as a sacred invocation, artfully designed to strengthen and preserve the bridge between the ethereal realms of Spirit and the tangible world of Matter. Written in Latin, an ancient and influential root language, the lyrics invite participants on a ceremonial and transformative journey. Exploring the symbiotic interplay between light and darkness, delving into the enigmas of the ethereal realm while alluding to the radiance concealed within the ocean's depths. In this profound and enchanting odyssey of sound and vision, audiences are encouraged to explore the mysteries of existence and embrace the multitudes within themselves.

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Actors: Daniel Henry (Team Leader), Jessica Gift, Vicki King (stewarded by Stephanie Hickling Beckman)

Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective was formed at the intersection of art and activism and consistently calls into question the social norms and quiet acquiescence that allow racism, discrimination, and other forms of oppression to thrive. We appreciate the value of empathetic and thought-provoking theatre as a profound and effective means to social change and transformation.

Project: Temples of the Bald

Temples of the Bald event began 10 years after the horrible, deadly pandemic left survivors permanently bald. Today many have regrown hair, but at the temples, we honor the even minds and clear heads of the time. A trailblaze leads visitors to the locus of the great bald mountain edge, where the celebration begins inside the Temples of the Bald. Uniformity and individuality meet here. After decades of high anxiety, stress, addiction and mental illness, the disease left the world wholly hair-less and freed us from gender, beauty standards, anger, worry, self-loathing and now enter the age of equanimity and renaissance of the creative. We ask for 100% participation and to be yourself fully. The octagon shaped booth has crafts and interactive walls that explore four themes: Hope, Gratitude, Acceptance and Forgiveness. At the Temples of the Bald proudly accept the things we can not change and transcend life’s challenges with bald courage, love and forgiveness.

Project: Installations

after the flood (front window installation)

2021-2023

Pasture fencing and debris, pluff mud

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cleaning caring repairing (first floor engagement studio)

2022

performance/video

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clouds (elevator installation)

2023

installation using various recycled papers, cardboards, and acrylic paint

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systems forming (Krafthouse installation)

2021-2023

broken hoses, zip ties, landscaping twine

Project: Room

There has been a threat to our natural world that is so severe that we have lost most plant life. The destruction of our natural world is a threat to human life. Humans survive only if the living natural world survives. The plant life we do have left is under threat still and what has been saved is sacred. Humans nurture and feed all plant life hoping to help them thrive and reproduce in any way they can. Native plants especially are sacred to any location, so humans have created small grow rooms for native plants. These spaces have become temples or sanctuaries. Humans come to reflect in the presence of native plant life. It is not only essential to coexist, no harm done, with the natural world but to feed and honor it like it has humanity.  

Ancestors to those native to the land are the ones trusted to care for the native plant life. “Room”  is a kitchen that has been turned into a lab/grow room to nurture native plant life. These plants are sheltered from the threats outdoors until they are healthy enough to survive. Grow labs like this one are rare and sacred places. It’s an honor to be able to witness these delicate native plants. Most plants that survived the major event were invasive species. These plants were in shelters during that time. Humans are allowed to enter the grow room and use their time however they wish (as long as it’s respectful to the plants). This space is a place of worship to the plants within, a place to mourn, a confessional, a place to pray and meditate, and a place to reflect. Its occupants are allowed a quiet, private space to find renewal. The plants occupy the kitchen area and are protected by a barrier, and humans are asked to respect that space. And they do. The future of the world depends on plant life. These native plants are God.

Artists: Denise Arcuri, Kathy English, Lissa Mosley, Susan Sertain, Pat Strang, Joyce Tromba, Melanie Wilder

Project: Wardrobe of the Future

It is the year 2060, ten years after global warming prompted societal upheaval and wars, led to massive disease outbreaks, and caused survivors to seek safe havens in which to rebuild alongside nature.  

Appalachia is one of these safe havens. Its ancient mountains harbor the resources and the wisdom to make recovery a reality.The forest is the heart of the process. Through the millennia, the trees and their supporting mycorrhizal network have been guardians of the earth. They share information and resources, provide safety and nourishment, and mitigate to the best of their ability the harmful things that infiltrate their sphere. Recognizing the existential imperative of the new situation, they have taken the radical step of allowing certain humans to enter their web of communication.  

We are their collaborators and emissaries. We practice the magic, the healing arts, the tending of the ecosphere, the guidance and protection of our fellow refugees necessary to rebuild. We are foragers, caregivers, craftspeople, teachers, and community builders. We are partners and part of the forest. We are both natives and travelers who have come together to create refuge in Appalachia. We each have skills based on survival, and several of us operate in multidimensions. What we wear, carry, or use reflects that.

Artists: Julianna Chioma, Reba West Fraser, Marcyanne Hannemann

Project: Order of the Butterfly

10 years after the Second Great Oxygenation Event (the Forests’ last effort to save this sphere), the mycelium network was more robust than ever. Fungi proliferated across the land; they became not just part of the fabric, but the weave itself that all things were now linked, entangled with. Researchers speculated what this nexus actually contained–what information was stored inside? That was, until the emergence of the Order of the Butterfly. The Order of the Butterfly is a sect of people, some would say priests, who wish to spread the message of the butterfly, the message of the network.

The Eastern Swallowtail, in those short years following The Second Event, developed a special relationship with the mushrooms; they began resting on the mushrooms more regularly, thriving off of the mysterious saps. Through that, the butterflies would become covered in the mushroom’s spores, and as they flew the spores of the mushrooms were disseminated with every flap of their wing, effectively widening the network. People eventually came into contact with these spore-laden butterflies and upon inhalation, were awed by the intense feeling of potential, oneness and care that overwhelmed their senses. Some reported that they could hear the trees speak, the mountains sing, or the flowers cry. A new communion was born again between the people of this world, and the world they were a part of. Out of this revelation the Order of the Butterfly originated, and so they still serve to bring the message of the World to more people.

Project: Formula

It is the year 2053, 10 years after a global pandemic has wiped out much of the population, rendering certain “contaminated” areas uninhabitable. Additionally, global warming has created a harsh outside world that can no longer be inhabited by humans. Appalachia is a wasteland. It is populated by preppers, survivalists and scavengers. The Forest is found in isolated pockets, hidden away from the outside world. We survive / thrive through radical community collaboration. In “Formula”, Cora lives alone in a world ravaged by global warming and a global pandemic that has made much of the world uninhabitable. Despite these harsh conditions, Cora has created a place for themselves. A place where they can find solace. A place where they have harnessed a formula of their own making that restores life to the flora they collect from the outside world.  

While Cora loves their home, they also seek community. They wish to share their magic with the world. They send out their formula to the world everyday in hope of establishing connection. Perhaps there is someone out there who will one day respond...

Project: The Last Logs

It is the year 2050, 10 years after the AI takeover. Appalachia is a sanctuary. It is populated by hybrids. The Forest is sentient. We survive / thrive through radical community collaboration. I create or provide comfort to contribute to my community in my role as a maker. I created 15-20 stump stools - made from small sections of a tree recently cut from the region - the last logs.

Project: New Life Sprouts in a Familiar Forest

“New Life Sprouts in a Familiar Forest” is a short film encapsulating the cyclical nature of everything that exists within and outside of us. We cultivate something entirely new and it's own by what we decide to integrate with each lived cycle we experience. There is a deep hope that through the cycles, we allow ourselves freedom to live and explore, let die and let rest what doesn't serve us anymore, and use newly fertile soil to choose ourselves and each other to rebirth a collective remembrance that we are all part of the same.

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Artists: Madalyn Wofford, Kaylee Dunn, Katrina Ohstrom

Project: The Oasis of the Juicy Fruits

It Is the year 2023, 10 years after the discovery of “The Oasis Of The Juicy Fruits”. Appalachia is a utopia of delight, leisure, and care. It is populated by The Fruits who use beautiful songs and mesmerizing dances to communicate with each other. The Forest is an orchard of fertility and abundance where one may summon the fruits of their wildest dreams, and fill their basket with any fruits they fancy. Limb in limb, we sway together to the juicy music and fall in love again and again.  

The Oasis of the Juicy Fruits is a living environment and post-scarcity u-pick orchard that offers a fresh experience of abundance every time you visit! Savor the full summer juiciness of the unexpected in these mouth watering one-of-a-kind food fantasies, sun ripened in the fertile fruit basket of Swannatopia. Whether you decide to get moving by learning a new dance, let your harvest basket runneth over in the orchard, explore persimmon possibilities, clap and sing along with your favorite band as they perform live on stage, and/or become the fruit salad tree of your heart’s desire in the Grafting Chapel, a visit to The Oasis of Juicy Fruits is a truly immersive experience!

Project: Jewel Weed

It is the year 10AA (After Apocalypse), 10 years after the Final Year of the Common Era, the last overthrow and collapse of the dying threads of capitalism - which took with them, through pollution, violence, and greed, the polar ice caps, all the world’s glaciers, and a couple hundred miles of livable land on all coasts - entire island nations now underwater, if nations were a thing that still existed - but a belief in borders died when most of the population did as the weather patterns became erratic and wildfires and drought took what tsunamis, hurricanes, and flooding didn’t get to first. Appalachia is a sanctuary for the entire eastern part of the continental landmass formerly known as North America.  It is populated by survivors - those who were here building sanctuary and those who came here fleeing the violence of global climate change and societal collapse. The Forest is ferocious, fertile, desolate, mechanical, psychic, sentient, abundant, and most of all - HOME. We survive / thrive through radical community collaboration. I provide physical record, preserved process, material evidence to contribute to my community in my role as illuminator (sometimes called scribe, depending on the dialect).

Project: Preserve // Protect

Appalachia is a sanctuary. Despite the continuing madness of the world, Appalachia remains a place to seek refuge and to experience the purity of its incredibly biodiverse landscape in an environment laden with history.  

My wearable pieces/accessories are fabricated primarily from leather that serve as different forms or interpretations of protective armor. These nodes of protection will supplement niche purposes — from shin guards to portable herb drying racks — and allow people to feel equipped to exist within the biome of Appalachia regardless of what sort of major event has happened. These articles will take into account the unique nature and vast breadth of different forms of life that call this area home, with their intended purposes serving as a response to be able to preserve / protect oneself within this environment.

Project: Wisdom

The rapture happened 10 years ago. But it wasn't quite what we expected. When we got kicked out of Eden, we became more than just souls. We gained humanity, survival instincts, and personalities. The soul and the body became intertwined like the salt and the earth. When it became time for God to take his people back to Eden, he couldn't take us as complete people. Humanity is rarely humane, and we have already nearly killed one world. Heaven would be next. So he separated the body from the soul and left the rest down here on earth. This killed most people, it stole their will to live. But some kept living. Their will was so strong that their core personalities remained. Still people. Just missing their connection to God. So they live among the folks like me who weren't saved. Without the presence of God there was a vacuum of belief. But something had to fill that vacuum, because humans need to believe in something. We always have. So, the old gods returned, as well as all the spirits and entities that had existed in lore and memory. They were born of our own minds, so they have human tendencies. They are fickle and sometimes cruel. And they expect offerings. As all gods do. Appalachia is much the same as it was before the technological revolution - wild, dangerous, and beautiful.  

I sells things to appease and banish the gods and spirits that have arisen in God's absence. My mamaw was a wise woman, and I have taken up her torch. I sell charms, herbs, and make crafted offerings that I pour a little of my soul into - after all, that's what art is. The little bits of soul appease the gods and mythic creatures. Those people who can't create, or those whose souls had left them, need folk like me to create offerings. The gods and spirits do not need these bits of soul to survive, but they want them because in this new world, souls are not as common as they once were. And those with souls who have a mind for making are even more rare. All the art and craft will be based around Appalachian lore.

Project: The Memory Explorer

Liz Williams; Amanda Simons, Lindsay Jones, Jenny Fares, Tracey Carswell

In the year 2075, ten years after "Operation Alien Air," humanoid aliens disguised as politicians exploited Earth's resources for their technological needs, causing disastrous effects on the planet's inhabitants. To facilitate alien habitation, the air was sterilized, resulting in severe consequences for humanity.

Luckily, Appalachia is a shelter from the toxins present in the air and serves as a beacon of hope with its immense biodiversity. The land is inhabited by resourceful and innovative creatives and artists who are using the available resources in this era to create different forms of care and survival methods.The Forest is rich with inspiration, medicinal plants, and flora that filter carbon. Additionally, there are some friendly alien allies who seek to share the wisdom they've acquired during their journeys to enhance human survival.  

I have been working with an alien named 2Ekdkh459**#djejhssn, ( also known as "Bobby," ) to record trials and lessons within the community. The operation AA has resulted in toxic air quality, destruction of vegetation, loss of life, memory lapses of up to two weeks, and stress-induced hair loss. The narrator created a device called “ The Memory Explorer”, which is an archival device worn to replay footage from art collaborators in different mediums, including live footage, stop-motion, and AI. This approach is one of the few proven ways to retrieve lost memories and information in this new era. The invention is powered through alien technology that harnesses the power of kudzu, an abundant vine that along with offering power also provides medicinal properties that help treat some of the symptoms of the toxic air.  

In the film, Liz embarks on a film project to create documentation of creative prototype tools of survival. The film will feature the works of Amanda Simons, Lindsey Byrnes, Jenny Fares, and Tracy Carswell. Amanda and Lindsey's work revolves around a pizza-shaped quilt, serving as an archival tool showcasing pre-"Operation Alien Air" life. Each slice contains fabric that is tied to Amanda and Lindsey’s life, be it through familial heirlooms or upcycled clothing that no longer fits, but was involved in adventures the two of them shared together. The duo aims to share their quilt-making knowledge while encouraging people to embrace and archive memories in functional methods that can provide comfort and warmth in an ecologically responsible way. The quilt also serves as a device of filtration that can be used on windows or wrapped around the head and nose of the user.  

Jenny's "Temple of the Bald" focuses on mental wellness, by guiding individuals through ritualistic acts of forgiveness, love, happiness, and acceptance of their previous baldness.  

Tracy's work centers on teachings from sympathetic aliens who helped humanity. Their prototype utilizes moss and chia’s ability to filter air, and provide medicinal properties that aid with symptoms from toxic produced carbon (i.e. creating a superfood, treating coughing and dressing wounds). Combined with using concrete's resourceful accessibility and malleability, building structures that clean air, insulate during cold months, and create cool air filtering ecosystems make the work of Tracy truly invaluable. Additionally, with alien tech, Liz has taken the lessons from Tracy’s training videos along with guidance from Bobby and has created a device ( still in beta testing) that can communicate with moss vegetation; stimulating the rate of its growth.  

The film footage includes stop motion animation, real footage, and artificially generated video, showcasing the projects' concepts.