Tempe, AZ - When Trees Dream - Trees are a part of our life stories and serve as a reminder of our interdependence with the natural world. We need trees for survival, just as we need water and air. “The Overstory” by Richard Powers masterfully crafts the threads the connections between us by offering stories of that pan generations and stories that live in the moment. This book, along with “The Hidden Life of Trees” by Peter Wohlleben were the books that I was reading when the Covid Pandemic hit the world. I found myself contemplating the role trees play in my own story, the vital importance of shade in Arizona, the provider of food, the stabilizer of the ground from erosion, and the endless variations of colors, textures, and patterns. While traveling back to Wisconsin from Arizona in March of 2019 I was comforted by the familiarity of the trees, especially the trees I had previously noticed during my many stops at dog parks along the way. From the graceful Palo Verde, Ficus, and Pine in Arizona to the massive White Oaks in Nebraska, the Maple and Oak in Wisconsin, and the sturdy Beechnut in my back yard, the trees gave me great comfort and reminded me of stability and strength in a time of uncertainty. Beginning in 2019 I turned my creative energy to my recent series of large format etchings to reflection on pandemic realities through the lens of what we can learn from trees. Using trees metaphorically I am exploring the realities of loss, isolation, interdependence, rebirth, strength, stability, and community The series has a total of 12 etchings 24" diameter plates combined with methods such a monotype and/or chine colle, and mixing and/or re-etching into plates, I created variable editions on 30" sq paper, yielding over 100 unique impressions. I used the laser engraver to vaporize spray paint off copper, thus creating a mask which traditional intaglio techniques such as aquatint, soft ground, and line etch could be applied. Each impression, though originating with a singular plate has many variations; just as the seed once planted grows trees that are at once individual yet part of a larger community. - Bio -Mary Hood, born in 1966 and originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA currently resides in Arizona, USA, where she is a professor of art/printmaking at Arizona State University. Hood received her Master of Fine Art degree from the University of Dallas, in Dallas, Texas and her undergraduate degree from Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. As part of her teaching philosophy, Mary uses printmaking to focus on community-affiliated projects such as RIPPLE (2005), for Katrina evacuees in Arizona, DITTO (2006), a public art project, and Map(ing) (2009-2019), a collaborative project between Native artists and ASU graduate student which was proudly supported by an NEA ArtWorks Grant. Mary is the recipient of numerous residencies, publications, and awards for her work including the 2008 Faculty Achievement Award and the 2006 Award for Public Scholarship. In 2012 Mary was awarded the Annual Evelyn Smith Endowed Professorship to support her community scholarship. Mary’s work has been exhibited widely throughout the world including the International Print Center New York, NYC, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO, Blue Star Art Complex, TX, LaGrange Art Museum, GA, Loyola University Chicago, IL, Kasene Kulturcenter, Denmark, Contemporary Art Projects, Bulgaria, VACA Cultural Association, Italy, Polytechnic Institute of Technology, New Zealand, Pont Aven School for Contemporary Art, France, Alexandria Bibliotheca, Egypt, and the Estonia National Library, Estonia.