Fire Backs Down

Watercolor, charred wood, ash, found objects
2023

Fire Backs Down is a reflection on the 2022 Calf Canyon / Hermit’s Peak fire. 

I spent a large part of this summer helping with wildfire recovery and land restoration in the Las Vegas, New Mexico area. Workdays ranged from helping folks clean up toxic burned debris from their homes, building structures for erosion and flood control, to planting and reseeding native plants in burned areas.

Each workday brought a new awareness to a place and how we repair after a disaster.

I’ve focused my material collecting in places where burned debris has amassed — culverts, drainages, and places where massive flooding occurred.

This work changes as participants are encouraged to pick up the materials with care and consideration and allow the wildfire to leave its sooty imprint.