Know your food

This year, I've focused my projects exclusively around the theme: Know your food!

The seeds (ha) of this series are my Fruit and Vegetable Trophies.


Trophy Cucumber

I dreamed these up about 3 years ago after reading a report that elementary age children in the UK weren't sure where basic foods originate. That article regrattable reminded me of the Regan-era
ketchup-is-a-vegetable proposal. Eating more wholesome food is now a hot-button issue in the United States, for sure. Reports, statistics, movies, TV shows, and books about agriculture and diet in the 21st century abound.
When I consider the corporate ownership and copywrite of seeds for crops, and that some U.S. doctors now write perscriptions for vegetables (essentially a farmers' market coupon) that maybe it's time to put fresh produce under glass at the natural history museum alongside a photo of the extinct Green Grocer.

Okay, that's some snide humor showing.

But in all seriousness, I feel like I preach to the choir when my trophies are featured in art shows or sales. I'd love to know if one makes its way on the wall of a classroom or cafeteria - a place where children or parents might look twice at the fact that a carrot has green leaves on top and a funny sounding latin name. (One of my favorite moments at a show in 2009 was when a couple of ladies got into a argument over whether or not my Endive Trophy really depicted an endive. Maybe I was trying to deceive them with bok choy!)
I hope that at least one of my trophies starts a conversation about food or science or politics...or what's for dinner!

I'll have about 20 Trophies available at the Deluxe
Indie Craft Bazaar on December 11, 2010.

Tomorrow, I get off my soap box and give a sneak peek of the fun food-themed jewelry I'll also have on hand!