The i.d.e.a. Museum invites you to a new exhibition that will knock your stalks off, “Desert Roots: Story of a Seed.” From start to finish, guests will be immersed in the minute details of the seed lifecycle from creating a root system with Geemo limbs to picking fruit and selling it at a fabricated farmers market. From the point of view of a resilient little prickly pear seed learn about germination to sprouting roots, leaves and flowers to edible fruit through unique tactile art and STEM activities, including:
- Listening to the music of a live plant orchestra by PlantChoir
- Smelling a variety of native aromatic plants
- Growing your knowledge about plant structures using a MicroEYE microscope
- Contributing your artistic talents to a community mural
“Engaging activities and incredible artwork showcase each plant lifecycle stage,” explained i.d.e.a. Museum Curator Mike Goodwin. “Guests will be inspired to play, create and interact with plants, deepening our understanding of and connection to Arizona flora. Desert Roots features Arizona artists representing various art mediums, including neon and glass, wool and embroidery, paint and woodburning, ceramic and holograms.”
With local artists such as Ed Mel and Shachi Kale, “Desert Roots: Story of a Seed” is staying true to theme by featuring only Arizona-based artists. Other local artists include:
- Anitra “Yukue” Molina is a graffiti artist and muralist from Arizona. “Yukue’ means rain in Cahíta, the language spoken by native peoples of Sinaloa and Sonora, including the Yaquis. This is the name Anitra Molina adopted as her artistic signature. For the graffiti artist of Yoreme origin, art is to her spirit what rain is to the desert.”
- Mary Meyer examines our relationship with the environment through the lens of ecology and the interconnectedness of life forms. Her work utilizes mixed-media wall sculptures and installations to explore a myriad of similarities threaded throughout nature, especially between human and botanical anatomy.
- Casey Olson loves the chase of capturing moving moments with nature, using the sky as her passion. Casey loves inspiring people with the beauty found in the desert since its unique landscape is often overlooked.
- Jason Chakravarty and Jennifer Caldwell individually are glass artists, each with over 20 years of working primarily in glass. Jennifer, a glass artist, with a strong lampworking background and Jason, with glass casting. In 2012, they began collaborating. Together they cast, torch, blow, print, grind, cut and blend glass. Ideas are driven by traveling, seeing, touching, feeling and tasting. They translate these transitory yet notable experiences into forms, textures, and imagery.
- Jake Early – It all began with an idea in 1999 while sitting at his desk trying to survive a 9-5 gig. “I realized I needed to build a printing press, from scratch, in order to hand-print the art I had in my head. I simply needed to get my hands dirty and make prints. I began to tinker with ideas in my garage using salvaged parts from a table saw and other bits I had scavenged. I learned how to weld. Two years later, I had a working printing press. By 2005, I took a leap of faith, left my comfortable job and have pursued my dream ever since.”
“Desert Roots: Story of a Seed” is included with regular museum admission and i.d.e.a. Museum memberships. ECO Mesa and Willmeng are proud supporting sponsors. Additional support is provided by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the i.d.e.a. Museum Foundation. Book your visit to the i.d.e.a. Museum now by visiting ideamusem.org. The i.d.e.a. Museum is located at 150 W. Pepper Place in downtown Mesa.
ABOUT i.d.e.a. MUSEUM
i.d.e.a. Museum is owned and operated by the City of Mesa with support from the i.d.e.a. Museum Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. The Museum is centrally located in Downtown Mesa with interactive art exhibitions and STEAM activities aimed to inspire families of all ages and backgrounds to experience their world differently through art, creativity and imagination. For more information, visit ideamuseum.org.
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