Patricia Larenas

Artist Social

• Instagram: @plarenas_onpaper
• LinkedIn: plarenas.onpaper@gmail.com

My artwork expresses the fragility and the sacredness of Nature, and perhaps my grief at what is being lost. This work is place-based, with intentional processes and selection of materials that emerge from a deep empathy with my subject.  My current practice of collecting local soils, plus charcoal from wildfires to make paint, together with my practice of hand made papermaking with sustainable materials, can be viewed in part as my response to  art-making in the context of the global environmental and climate crisis.

In addition, for the past few years I've been growing my socially engaged art practice by offering hands-on workshops and activities by partnering with nonprofit organizations whose mission is to promote conservation, and nature education. These sensory experiences delight participants by engaging them in an unexpected activity without the pressure of making "art". I believe that this is a powerful way to foster lost connections with our living Earth, and can be a path towards action to save what we love.