West Shore Community College is presenting Feminist seed bank herbarium: a participatory studio book project at the William M. Anderson Library on the college’s Scottville campus.
Curated by WSCC Professor of Visual Arts Eden Ünlüata-Foley, the exhibition features an eight-foot-long sculptural artist’s book created through a collaboration among Chicago-based artist Melissa H. Potter, Traverse City artist Jamie John, and WSCC Professor of Biology Dr. Paul Bilinski. The project engaged WSCC students in botany, design, and career and technical education through site visits, foraging walks, printmaking workshops, and a guided kayak trip along a local river.
The book’s woven accordion structure draws inspiration from Black Ash basketry, an Indigenous craft increasingly threatened by climate-driven emerald ash borer infestations. John introduced students to non-linear Indigenous narratives specific to Michigan, while Potter led gelli-plate printmaking workshops that demonstrated how the technique can capture botanical detail with greater precision than hand drawing. More information on Potter may also be found at melpotter.com as well as John at jamierjohn.com.
“Bringing together artistic, Indigenous, and scientific perspectives allowed students to see local flora in deeper and more connected ways,” Foley stated.
The installation offers a non-linear, visual alternative to a traditional herbarium, highlighting at-risk plant species, their cultural uses, and the importance of protecting Indigenous plant knowledge.
The exhibition is free and open to the public at the William M. Anderson Library. Updated hours and more information is available at westshore.edu.