Tofino Epiphyte
In researching the new body of work Feral: Rewilding Furniture, I was able to visit Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. From Tofino, I paddled a kayak out to Meares Island to explore the old growth temperate rainforest, the protection for which was hard fought by first peoples. The lush, fecund forest was simultaneously growing and decomposing, brimming with entanglement and life. The population of Epiphytes, plants that grows on other plants, especially non-parasitic ones such as the ferns, bromeliads, staghorns, and orchids growing on tree trunks, was impressive. The layers of life stacked on more life inspired me to "grow" the work Tofino Epiphyte from the discarded wooden school chairs I kept finding in the skip at San Diego State University.