Artist: Whitney Naomi Ostebo
Title: Autumn AcknowledgmentMedium: Original Oil on panel
Size: 8x10 (13"x14.5" framed)Artist Statement:
The early Timpanogos peoples called the reeds at Utah Lake 'eutahs'. Some of the reeds painted here are phragmites that were later introduced by Europeans in the early 19th century. While they carry their own beauty, they are also an invasive species that can quickly threaten and choke out biodiversity and cause imbalances in lake ecosystems. Maybe they represent an interesting parallel with early settlers that brought their own stories, dreams, ideas, but would also cause imbalances to the lake and choke out Native peoples. Now inhabiting this land and inheriting these happenings of the past, we can continue to right some of these imbalances to allow diversity to flourish, breathing fresh new life and beauty into this landscape. Although we may never return to past landscapes, we can acknowledge where we've been, and move forward with a more conscientious, reciprocal approach, balancing many perspectives and ways of life on these lake shores we all share.
