You Are a Scientist? Concept/OK: Sarah Hearn

Sarah Hearn, Lichen drawing in progress

Motivated by a collaborative ethos and encouraged by “citizen researchers,” Sarah Hearn’s residency project for the Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma exhibition relies on collaboration with many enthusiasts and professionals.

Hearn counts on you to join in too and made sure attending the exhibition does not limit participation.

Already 24 individuals have gathered lichen samples from all over the world. Hearn will study, classify, and illustrate the samples which will appear in the project and be rewarded by artwork by Hearn. 

See her call for lichen samples, which will remain open until February.  Hearn will donate lichen samples to the University of Central Oklahoma’s Herbarium after the exhibition ends.

For those that want to see lichen in situ, Hearn will lead a group on a free nature walk at Oxley Nature Center on December 1 at 3 pm.  She will help attendees search for and gather small amounts of native lichen specimens and prepare them for exhibition. 

Participants will learn about photographic processes to record, document and study lichen in a  two-day workshop for adults on  “lichenography” in January.  Hearn will address historical and unconventional processes. Participants will assemble a hand bound field books for collecting and preserving specimens, photographs and drawings.

Visitors may watch her draw a large-scale work on site in the community studio December 15. Watch www.concept-ok.org for more on public events.

Read more in this Art Focus Oklahoma magazine article or on Hearn’s own blog sarahhearn.blogspot.com.  The Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma exhibition opens December 16, 1-5 pm at the new Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council’s Hardesty Arts Center. See www.concept-ok.org for more information.