Homegrown

Directed by Samantha Starks, Creative Director Assisted by Cassidy Chemer and Nicole Escobia, Creative Team Contributors Photographed by Audrey O'Neill, Photography Director and Bela Orzechowski, Staff Photographer Modeled by F.H. King members: Ava Padilla, Farm Director, Christopher Hastings, Urban Agriculture Director, Ben Dickmeyer, Outreach Director, Keegan Schlosser, Programming Director and Bobby Joehnk, Finance Director Special thanks to Members of F.H. King and Gwynne Tyksinski, Owner of Stillgoods

“I’m a farm director for F.H.King. Myself [Ava] and my co-director (Jenny Zinniker!) make the season plans, start the seeds, prep the soil and care for each plant on the farm. All that we grow, we harvest and distribute to the campus community through our Harvest Hand-Outs. What is central to F.H.King’s mission is our goal of connecting people with land and food. The farm is a huge part of that—sharing the process of how to grow and care for plants is work I love. Every moment in a season—from early, still-cold spring to late fall—is a moment during which you can learn from the land and the people around you. As a whole, the organization provides a community for people to share knowledge and explore their interests in sustainable agriculture.”

“This mask came into being through the FLOW project. Alongside fellow undergrad artists, I was paired with UW water researchers and tasked with creating a piece that communicates the heart of their work. My researchers study algae and cyanobacteria: They’re these beautiful, odd organisms with brilliant microscopic structures. Algal and cyanobacterial morphology, the landscapes they inhabit and the researchers themselves are all inspirations for this piece. I wanted to create something both inviting and austere. The mask is designed to mesh with the face of the wearer, fusing the interior and exterior gaze to the world of the beaded algae. The piece is entirely hand constructed with glass beads, thread and fabric. To wear it is to experience a glimpse of a world that largely goes unseen.”