Gaia’s Revenge

ABout the Artist

DeMarinis found a passion for printmaking at the University of Colorado at Boulder in his undergraduate studies. He then pursued a Master’s in Print Media from the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon, where he honed his skills – particularly in photolithography. The work shown in Gaia’s Revenge was completed during his studies at PNCA, using photos taken during his own travels and “renegade documentation missions, trespassing through the brambles to avoid being seen.”

DeMarinis uses his art practice to continue searching the world for enchantment and understanding. His work focuses on using found imagery, materials, and natural dyes to enrich personal experiences and to convey our current relationship to nature. Enchantment is all around us. In nature, our imagination flourishes as we take in the smells of flowers, the cold touch of a snowflake, or the energy from the rapid water of a river. Growing a plant from seed shows us the magic of the natural world. The tiny sprout emerges from the ground as the transformation of life begins above the earth.  We learn when plants need food or water and can see when human interference hinders their livelihood and existence. Signs of weakness above ground can tell stories of the world beneath. The green world allows us to communicate with all of our surroundings, organic and non-organic. “The plants are talking. I am presenting what needs to be seen to think critically about the condition of all living and nonliving organisms. The plants are talking, and I am helping them speak.”