Moss

I spoke with botanist Russell Juelg from the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. I said I was interested in making this piece alive but that I had concerns about maintenance. I didn't want it to die. I didn't want the bank to have to take care of this thing all the time. I just wanted it to be like having a plant, or even easier than that.

He suggested I use moss. It grows easily. It has no root system and can grow on a variety of porous surfaces. It just needs a little water now and then. And it lives for ever. He said a friend of his in upstate New York was making terrariums to grow moss, creating miniature landscapes. His terrariums were dome shaped and made out of glass. But as long the terrarium is enclosed, Juelg said, it can be any shape. It can also be tinted (i.e. repurposed green wine bottles).

We are entertaining approaching Woodhaven schools and incorporating this project into their curriculum as a workshop or a series of lessons. Students would help make the monochrome while learning about green practices and the green values this piece demonstrates.