| About Prints of the Indiana Wetlands |
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In 2002 Blasingham was awarded a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission for the
project "Prints of the Indiana Wetlands: An Artist's View," a suite of fine art
hand-pulled prints she created from photographs and drawings made during visits
to Indiana's endangered Wetlands. Exhibits of a framed traveling suite in
gallery and educational facilities throughout Indiana over several years will
increase awareness about the fragile ecosystem of Indiana's shrinking Wetlands.
Today only 10% of Indiana's original 5 1/2 million acres of
Wetlands remain. Located in river basins and near lakes, a wetland is also
called a marsh, bog, heath, or swamp. Wetlands are critical in flood and silt
control, streambank stabilization, filtration of surface contaminants,
purification of ground and surface water, and as habitats for migratory
waterfowl and aquatic mammals. Threats to the Wetlands include agricultural
chemical run-off, industrial pollution, sewer overflows, and development
unguided by conservation.
Since January of 2003, selections from "Prints of the Indiana
Wetlands" have been exhibited at I.U.-Kokomo, Hoosier Salon Gallery in Broad
Ripple, "Creative Renewal Fellows: One Year After" at the Indianapolis Art
Center, "The First Lady's Art Series" at the Governor's Residence, "Hoosier
Salon Juried Exhibition," "Irvington Presents," "Minnesota National Print
Biennial," "Cincinnati Art Club National Juried Exhibition," "Southside Art
League Regional," and won two awards at "Open Space: Art of the Land" at Minnetrista Cultural Center in conjunction with the Red Tail Conservancy.
Exhibitions are scheduled at Purdue University, the Indianapolis Art Center,
and the Plainfield-Guilford County Public Library. Collaborations and shows are
being planned with the Department of Natural Resources, several nature centers,
Department of Soil and Water Conservation, and the Nature Conservancy.
Blasingham has visited Jasper-Pulaski National Fish and
Wildlife Area in Jasper and Pulaski Counties, Killbuck Wetlands in Madison
County, Sullivan Park Wetlands in Marion County, and the Celery Bog in
Tippecanoe County. Trips planned in 2004 include Muscatatuck National Wildlife
Refuge in Jennings County and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Porter County.
The suite is expanding to include at least 40 etchings, woodcuts and other
relief prints, monotypes, monoprints, and later hand-colored photographs. The
traveling exhibit is expected to tour for at least five years.
For more information about the prints, purchase, or booking a
traveling exhibit, contact Cynthia Blasingham at
moonglow@cynthiablasingham.com
WATCH FOR a list of resources about Indiana's Wetlands.