Sonoma Charcoal | melissadickenson

Sonoma Charcoal is a response to the fire and floods that have recently plagued Northern California, and address the realities of changing eco systems.

The paintings in Sonoma Charcoal contain pigment collected from areas of Northern California where both fire and flood have brought devastation and havoc. Sonoma Charcoal specifically refers to burnt wood I have collected directly after the kincade fires, ground up and made into paint. The striking black of the charred paint is the common thread throughout the works and together with other stone, soil, mud, clay and ochers found in the Northern California terrain, I create portraits of this tragically beautiful landscape. My hope is to generate a new perspective from the materials I collect, and reflect on the current crisis our environment is in.