Chelsy Smith Walker and Professor Bryon Draper, Visual Arts

Seeds of the Family was an instillation displayed at the BF Larsen Gallery in the Harris Fine Arts Center at Brigham Young University from June 2 to June 15, 2004. The instillation consisted of 32 dandelion-type seeds suspended intermittently from 9 steel cables that I stretched over the top of the gallery space. The seeds were hung to create the effect of wind swirling through a burst of seeds from a giant white puff-ball, and filled all of the space under the hanging light grids.

Each dandelion-type seed represented one of my ancestors, which was conveyed by fabricating the wind-catching part of the piece out of the records that I had found for one particular individual. Each seed might have contained census records, death records, cemetery listings, or obituaries that were photocopied onto rice paper. The rice paper was then torn and papier-mâché to create a stiff, organic, umbrella-type shape that became the parachute part of the seed. Every piece was unique, and was a direct symbol for a real person.

The stem part of the seed was a resin-cast bone that I originally sculpted out of clay. The bone delicately acknowledged the reality that these members of my family have passed away, while alluding to the revelation of Ezekiel, “who was shown in vision the great valley of dry bones, which were to be clothed upon with flesh, to come forth again in the resurrection of the dead, living souls” (D&C: 138:43).

The actual “seed” part of the sculpture, or the part that would normally take root and grow, was made of a life-cast child’s foot. I cast the feet in dental alginate and then made rubber molds from those casts. Finally, resin was poured into the molds and rolled around to make a hollow, translucent foot. The foot represented the reality of these people as humans, not just scribbles of ink on a lifeless record, and was meant to allude to the journeys taken by these individuals. The foot also reminds us that our families will take on flesh again, and live.

To complete this exhibition, I spent many hours pouring over genealogical records in order to locate members of my pedigree that were previously unknown to those of my family. Images of census records with lines and lines–the very grids of humanity–documenting how many children born, how many still living, and relation to parent would slowly roll by to the hypnotizing hum of the microfilm reader…My eyes going in and out of focus as the black and white squiggles of script begin to make shapes on the screen; I was searching for one “M” for “Murry” or “Murray” or anything that resembled it. As I went through this process of searching, and then finding them hiding in the midst of a field of names, and finally following them to another field in yet another record, I began to wonder how their seemingly windblown wanderings affected my mother’s birthplace, or my father’s occupation. I would ponder over whether their daily decisions had affected me, whether their character somehow shaped who I am, and who I will become. I began to feel the presence of my ancestors all around me—powerful and invisible like the wind. This show provided me with the chance to illustrate this personal experience.

Perhaps the best way to convey the outcome of the show is to include quotations from those who left written comments at the gallery:

“I have been deeply reflective upon my family recently and profoundly appreciate the abstraction which draws me in and draws me back to roots and reminds me of inner responsibilities to both roots and seeds. This is a wonderful, worthwhile individual and global project that is both a teacher and parental invitation for deep reflection.” –Lynn Davis

“A lovely tribute to those who have planted their feet before us to prepare the way and whose legacies have become both the shelter of our blooming and the root of our lives.” –Hales Swift

“Amazing cohesion in putting your theme into motion. You can almost hear the voices.” –H. Slade

“It’s refreshing to have such a wonderful synthesis of great art, spirituality and personal experience.” –Jonathan Gibson

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to develop my talents, experiment with new media, and express the deep and poignant feelings and visions of my mind and heart through this project.