Niki Sutherland

Cartography*

Mapping narratives, experience, and the impact of time. *photos of work in progress

“"Cartography" unfolded through the reductive process of chiseling, carving, and sanding layers from an alluring offcut of a fallen maple tree. Working with spalted maple is especially captivating - the thin, black lines which indicate a presence of decay reveal themselves within the depths of the wood. Carving with intention and care, I seek to uncover the narratives encapsulated within a material which was once a living organism that activated the land around it for generations. It's impossible not to consider the impact that time has on both the tree and its surrounding community. Holding tension between what is revealed and what is preserved, a new form begins to take shape as she shares her story.”