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Volume 6, Issue 6 | June 2019
Carletta Carrington Wilson's field notes
in the Miller Library through June 28
wrap my hand tight by Carletta Carrington Wilson; photo by Mark FreyArtist Carletta Carrington Wilson considers the direct relationship between literacy and the power of self-determination, particularly for field laborers who were enslaved. The artist discusses the legacy of anti-literacy laws in this statement on her work:

“That in any slave state a field hand should learn to read is remarkable..." -- Frederick Douglass

Twisted and knotted paper lines constitute a unique form of correspondence in the series field notes. Each letter-sized collage’s message is signed with an X, the universal signature of an illiterate person. They are joined, in this show, by works best described as signs and signifiers.


Unlike those who labored in close proximity with masters and mistresses, field hands would not hand over or handle newspapers, letters, books, diaries or journals. They did not witness children learning to read and write. Upon emancipation, learning to read and write became paramount for the enslaved. That string of knotty lines, that threaded trail pointed to the possibility of unimaginable freedoms. Comprehending the spell cast by letters could only enable a person to further dispel the conditions created by dint of their enslavement.

Language is a visual medium, one by which form, shape and color inform an eye and shape a mind. Through the lens of history, I visit and revisit the role language has played in the creation of a past and the scripting of its future.

My work is an exploration of the “text of textiles.” The exhibit, field notes, reconstructs the field as a landscape of literature, its rows written upon by hands mapping a place of ancestral memory in code.

Meet the artist at a reception she is hosting in the library this Thursday, June 6, from 5 to 7pm. She will also be speaking about her work on June 20 in the library, beginning at 5 pm.

Flora: inside the secret world of plants
reviewed by Brian Thompson
I didn’t expect to like “Flora: Inside the Secret World of Plants.” Publications from big institutions (in this case the Smithsonian and Kew Gardens) can be ponderous. At first glance, it looks like an overblown coffee table book. Lovely photos, but – yawn – not much interesting content.

I was wrong. I recommend this to every gardener. Start with the Table of Contents – pedantic advice, yes, but seeing the layout helps you understand the book’s flow. First, it answers the question, what is a plant?

The rest is very systematic, starting from the ground up with roots, moving along the stems and branches to the leaves and flowers, and finally seeds and fruits. It makes a lot of sense to read this in order.

The publisher is DK, well known for books with strong graphic design and as expected, the illustrations are excellent and enhance the text. The individual concepts are brief, easy bites, but as you read, you’ll pick up all sorts of knowledge about the plants you love that will inform your gardening. Along the way, too, there are brief bios of the people of plants – the botanists, the gardeners, the illustrators. It’s a surprisingly complete package.

Connecting gardeners with information and experts
reported by Laura Blumhagen
Tracy Mehlin discusses a rare book with local artist Sylvia PortilloLibrarians at the Miller Library love helping visitors find the books they need, but we have more than books within our reach. In fact, very often our most useful answers don't lie between the covers of a book, but can be found by consulting knowledgeable people.

While we can't refer our visitors to specific gardeners, arborists, or other professional contractors, we often share questions with plant identification experts at the Otis Douglas Hyde Herbarium and the Burke Museum, trained diagnosticians with the King County Master Gardeners, and the knowledgeable staff of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, whose specialties range from plant collection curation to school field trips to urban farming

Our region boasts a wealth of organizations whose members and programs are invaluable to researchers, including the Puget Sound Mycological Society's mushroom identification clinic, Northwest Horticultural Society's events, the Great Plant Picks program, and the Puget Sound Botanical Artists, who share their work with us each spring. PlantAmnesty and the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture are two organizations that provide arborist referrals. The Puget Sound Beekeepers, the King County Noxious Weed Control Board, Washington Native Plant Society and Tilth Alliance also offer helpful online outreach, and we rely on their practical experience to help gardeners of the region.
Stop by the library--we're happy to connect you with the most helpful books, organizations, and people!

summer hours
The Miller Library is open for browsing and research on our summer schedule beginning June 17. You'll find our hours and information for visitors on our website.
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