Artist brings love of natural world to pieces displayed at Art Center

Jul. 30—By Ayanna Eckblad

There will be a very unique new exhibit at the Albert Lea Art Center over the next month. Throughout August, the Art Center will be filled with three-dimensional pieces made with preserved flowers, mosses, lichens and other natural materials.

The artist, Angela Justice, said she hopes visitors to the Art Center experience a meaningful connection with the pieces and are transported to a different time and place.

Justice was born in Fairmont and attended Minnesota State University, Mankato for her undergraduate degree and then earned her doctorate in biopsychology at University of Chicago. She moved to Boston, Massachusetts, in 2012 and now works in the biotechnology industry.

She splits her time between her home in Boston and Fairmont. This will be Justice's second art show. Her first was at the Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont.

Justice describes herself as a self-taught artist.

"I'm a scientist by trade," she said. "Like most things in my life, it started as an experiment." She wanted to create a living plant wall in her home, but knew they were impractical in the type of house she lived in. After doing some research, she discovered she could use preserved plant material to give the same look as a living plant wall without the need for a water source, soil or specific light exposure. This, along with her interest in the intersection of the natural world and the mind, served as the main inspiration for Forest Dreams.

Originally she used pre-preserved moss, but she eventually learned to forage and preserve her own.

Justice describes her creative process as a "flow state" in which she tries to lose herself in the moment of creating pieces of art rather than getting caught up on the literal or more technical aspects of it. She describes this as "trusting the process and not trying to force it."

Her latest exhibit, "Forest Dreams" is inspired by her love for the natural world. Justice explained that the pieces she created are meant to show the intersection of "what is seen and what is unseen." She also said she hopes it renews an appreciation for the beauty in everyday life that often goes unnoticed.

An artist reception for Justice will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Albert Lea Art Center.

"I hope people come to see the collection. I would love to hear feedback," Justice said. "I love talking with people, and I love hearing about what they see in the work. ... Hopefully they'll have some moments of inspiration."

People can view more of Justice's work at https://www.foresthetic.com.