IG: @miahbarnardprints 

Cultivating Reciprocity: Reconnecting to the natural world

During the summer of 2023 I interned as a horticulturist at Longwood gardens, one of the largest botanical gardens in the country, located outside of Philadelphia. Working there introduced me to the depth of knowledge held within the study of horticulture and botany, as well as the beauty and intricacies of our natural environments. Spending time working with and caring for the land has opened a deep sense of reverence for the natural world within me, but everyday I watch as we move further and further away from it. I believe that there is an immediate need for us to reconnect to our natural environments, and I aim to highlight this through my printmaking. Making engravings of landscapes inspired by naturalist paintings and botanical illustrations has allowed me to continue the passion for botany that I gained while working as a groundskeeper, as well as highlighting how human connection to our environment is vital in a time of increasing separation.

Bio

Miah Barnard currently attends Maine College of Art and Design, BFA pending in 2025, with a focus in Printmaking. During her time at MECA&D she has worked as the business manager for a student artist collective, The Noise Collective, and as the intern for the MECA&D Holiday Mini Market. She is currently working in exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Art, alongside MECA&D’s exhibitions coordinator Sarah Sawtelle. After an internship at Longwood Gardens during the summer of 2023, she is currently on track to become a Horticulturist.

Former illustrator—now printer and bookbinder—Miah Barnard’s work focuses on the relationship between humans and our natural world. Her art has been shaped by her experience within the Horticultural field. Working as a groundskeeper, She became enamored by the natural structures she saw around her and how effortlessly they replicate artistic principles. This slowly formed a reverence for nature within her, and it has become the driving force behind her artistic work. Based on her education in Sustainable Agriculture principles, she has realized the urgency of the need for humans to reconnect with the land. Through her work, she draws attention to this discrepancy, asking the audience to re-evaluate their relationship and reconnect with the environment around them.