The People Beneath the Promise

Cheyenne and Arapaho presence on the Colorado Plains intersects with the Homestead Act of 1862 and the 1930s Dust Bowl. Book pages studying Plains peoples form architectural tipis cradled by root systems. Bureaucratic land patents press down upon these roots, supporting an ethereal homestead structure built on displacement and ecological collapse.

Medium: Sculptural artist’s book — watercolor paper, vellum, book pages, watercolor, inert roots, waxed thread binding and adhesive.

Size: 9” x 10 ½” x 14 ¼” tall

A conceptual work completed for (Un)Altered Books: Unheard Voices, a community-centered art and history project, blending art making, research, and a call for art - showcasing erased, censored, and overlooked histories. A project partnership between the Women’s Caucus for Art Colorado Chapter, the University of Denver Libraries, and the Blair Caldwell Library. 

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