Adam Berman

Name of School
East Carolina University

Expected Graduation Date:
05/05/2022

Faculty Nominator
Gerald Weckesser

Reason for Faculty Nomination
Adam Berman is passionate about the living world that is often overlooked or taken for granted, the world of small plants. He has been working to develop papers and inks, derived from wild plants. The plants and their environments become the subject of his prints. Working closely with Biology Professor Dr. Carol Goodwillie, a researcher on the evolution in plant mating systems, Adam seeks to better understand the roles and mechanisms of plants in our ecosystems. Through his investigations into native plants, their cultural and medicinal roles, invasive species and the potential impacts they threaten, and understandings of naturalized species inform a broader discussion about how our natural areas are seen and utilized. Adam’s intent is to seduce his audience with beautiful prints, personalizing his exploration of nature, and cultivating curiosities around environmentalism.

Please provide a brief description of your art or medium.
Printmaking, made with and about native and invasive plants.

Is your artwork handmade by you? If not, please explain
Yes, although sometimes I always don’t make the paper the prints are made on.

Are all or some of the components locally sourced?
My inspiration, subjects and the ink are all from North Carolina, and when I create paper for the prints they are locally sourced plants.

Artist’s Statement:
My work deals with the issues of plant blindness, and the rediscovering of the natural world around us. Plants are a source of food, medicine, and ego dies that affect our daily lives and culture of many societies. My printmaking studio investigation explorers these properties in exploit the visual aspect original indigenous plants to develop a visual reference point. We have moved from an agrarian society to a society of people who perform services. I believe it is important to stay in touch with this foundation if we don’t pay attention to plant how can we expect plant conservation, or indeed environmental conservation to be paid attention to? I have used classic printmaking techniques such as lithography, intaglio, and relief to bring these images to life. I’ve also started making handmade paper from the local plants around us. It is my goal through my craft to highlight these wonders

How you will use the Fellowship funds if you are chosen as the winner.
If chosen for this fellowship I would use the funds to purchase a small portable Hollander beater and the equipment to have a portable Papermaking studio. This would include all the equipment to set up a small kitchen to be able to harvest and cook invasive plants, and naturalized plants and to turn into paper. With this portable papermaking and printmaking studio I would then travel around the regional area making paper with communities lecturing about the paper making craft and its roots in the community, as well as teaching about using invasive species as well as naturalized species to make this paper. From this paper we would make small prints.