In Chephren’s Temple

Mary Merkel-Hess constructs basket-like forms inspired by the natural landscape—the feel of the whole, an examination of form (such as a blade of grass), or a color—that she records in a sketchbook. She then translates that into a three-dimensional piece by building up layers of paper and mixed media over a mold. This piece, with its multiple components, suggests tall grasses and shrubs that populate the prairie around her Iowa home.