Abigail Olivia Strother

I am a multi-disciplinary artist, often with a focus on drawing and printmaking. My practice is rooted in my physical location – built completely around in-person field work and tactile connections to the environment. I pull inspiration from native environments, folklore, and nostalgia through a naturalist and feminist lens. Primary research is central to my practice, collecting this in the form of foraging, audio recording, photography, film, rubbings, and on-site sketches. The symbolism, language, and representations of flora and fauna are key to my work and I explore narratives between them. I take journeys to specific sites, locating certain historical ancient trees, taking the moment to spend time in the environment experiencing their presence and learning how they interact with the surrounding area, developing their own ecosystems. I explore interactions in these areas, and the human relationship with such important ancient land through tradition and rituals. I enjoy sharing these often forgotten and overlooked parts of heritage, as a memorial for the decline of these environments, but also as a revival in a political approach. I create with an attention on sustainability, focusing on the education on the importance of these environments, and with a selection of the materials used.