This series of 10 small works on paper, 19 x13” executed in watercolor and pencil represent the history and development of corn, or maize. For more than a decade I have explored the art, culture and imagery of
The productivity of maize cultivation was great enough to make it possible and worthwhile for families to produce food for the bulk of their diet for an entire year from a small area. Maize production permitted a family to live in one place for an extended period of time. However, the commitment to agriculture involved demands on human time and labor and often restricted human mobility. The genetic alterations in Teosinte changed its value as a food resource and at the same time affected the human scheduling necessary for its effective procurement.
