Field Work

Spring 2008

My newest artwork will appear in signage for a trail system at the Wells NERR in southern Maine (www.wellsreserve.org). The trail overlooks one of the most beautiful- and undisturbed- salt marshes in New England. The mouth of the river is truly stunning: a place that inspired me to pursue estuarine art and science when I was younger.
There will be about 8 signs with 30+ illustrations that focus on coastal and estuarine ecology and human influences on the landscape. Wading birds, raptors, estuarine fish, marine invertebrates, marsh grasses, invasive plant species and a dozen landscapes including wetlands, barrier beaches and a watershed diagram will be included.
The artwork will be displayed in trail signs using fiberglass embedment. This process involves embedding a digital print in a durable, optically clear polyester resin containing ultraviolet inhibitors. This process is guaranteed to last outdoors for up to 10 years.
The signs will be installed along its most popular trail system, the 1.3-mile (2.1 km) Salt Marsh Loop. This loop is an easy walk introducing a variety of natural communities and offering expansive views. In addition to the large numbers of self-guided trail users that roam this loop, thousands of children and adults follow these paths each year during guided school and public field programs. It is an ideal route for learning about estuaries, fields, forests, and watersheds.
Each year, over 40,000 people visit the Wells Reserve. They come to walk the seven miles of trails, watch wildlife, participate in our education and public programs. A self-guided trail system (with interpretive signs along the trails) attracts many of the visitors for low-impact recreation year-round. To provide these visitors with opportunities to learn about coastal and estuarine ecosystems and the role humans play in shaping and influencing them, we intend to design and install seven interpretive trail signs.