Each year before the first snowfall, I lay paper of various sizes and forms on the earth. This paper becomes buried under the winter snows to then be harvested in the spring. This ritual documents the passage of time and the amount of snowfall that particular winter. This method is a little like printmaking with nature - the earth being the plate and the snow being the press.
In the winter 2005-06, snow was sparse...41". The markings were faint. Scorching and staining were used in the studio after the harvest. These scroll forms hold gatherings from the site throughout the seasons.
Mary Ellen Long is a sculptor and book artist from Durango, Colorado, USA