JOYCE HARDEN
The Prairie-Oak Ecosystem of the PNW
Through this series, my goal was to further understand the complexity and importance of our natural world here in the Pacific Northwest. In doing so, I became aware of the importance and scarcity of our native prairie-oak ecosystem. These spaces are one of the most threatened in the world and hold ecological and cultural significance which are at risk of being lost. I hope these works I have created are beautiful for you to look at, but I also hope they help cultivate your curiosity about the awe-inspiring spaces we are so privileged to be surrounded by.
The goal for these works was to create digital illustrations, then screen print and hand ink them with natural dyes. Due to the current pandemic and studio space being unavailable, these are being presented as digital works alongside colored mock-ups to communicate the intended final product.
Pollinator & Food Plants
This series of illustrations highlights three important pollinator plants. It would be remiss of me not to also draw attention to the fact that these plants are also culturally significant to local Coast Salish people as food plants. All of these plants thrive in the prairie-oak ecosystem, and have become harder to find in their natural habitat as these spaces have diminished.
Common Camas
Camassia quamash
Common camas (Camassia quamash), arguably the most important and recognizable plant from our prairie-oak ecosystems, is important for generalist pollinators and their bulbs were, and are, harvested as a food source.
Chocolate Lily
Fritillaria affinis
Chocolate lily (Fritillaria affinis), also known as rice root, have an edible bulb and are also a food source for generalist pollinators.
Deltoid Balsamroot
Balsamorhiza deltoidea
Deltoid balsamroot (Balsamorhiza deltoidea) is also key to our generalist pollinators
and has a large taproot which can be eaten along with its seeds and shoots.
Interspecies Relationships
Golden Paintbrush & Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly
Castilleja levisecta & Euphydryas editha taylori
These three illustrations focus on the relationship between the endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylori) and the threatened golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta). While Taylor’s checkerspot visit many flowering plants to feed, golden paintbrush acts as the host plant where they lay their eggs. The main threat to both of these species is a lack of suitable habitat. Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly and golden paintbrush are dependent on the prairie-oak ecosystem, but also on the vitality of one another.
These illustrations provide two different postures of the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly,
as well as an illustration of said butterfly laying eggs on golden paintbrush.
