Franklinia
Spring, 2022
Franklinia, a cream-colored blossom tree that is native to the Altamaha River valley in Georgia, can no longer be seen in the wilderness. It hurts to let go of the beautiful elements of the nature due to the climate change. Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner, a poet and a climate activist, wrote a poem to her daughter with a message of hope to protect the environment. The silkscreen design incorporates text from the poem "Dear Matafele Peinem" and the flower motifs based on Franklin Trees. The fine-line details and the shadows below the flowers express the motion of scattering and disappearing. Kathy's hopeful yet alarmed voice embraces the fragility of the nature.
Design Sketch in repeat.
Trial print on the silkscreen bed. Important step to ensure that the design is transferred clearly and the repeat is smooth and seamless.
Iterations of the Franklinia Design
(silkscreen on muslin fabric)
