Art meets ecology as students explore the prairie through creative expression
In this episode, Sabrina Halvorson and Michael Standaert dive into an inspiring arts and ecology initiative titled "Thinking Like a Prairie," where high school students from the North Valley Career and Technology Center engaged in a unique, hands-on learning experience.
Listen now:
With support from the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, the program partnered with artist Austin Camille to help students connect with the prairie landscape through art, ecology, and community storytelling.
"You might drive by a prairie at 80 miles an hour and not really see it or experience much, but if you get out there with the birds chirping and the grass swaying... you can really get a better experience of it." — Michael Standaert, NDNC Reporter
Michael shares details from his recent article and interviews, discussing how students visited a bison ranch near Grafton, collected natural materials, and used them to create art, including soil-based pigments and clay plates for a future "prairie potluck." Sabrina highlights the broader environmental importance of preserving native prairie, much of which has been lost to agriculture and development.
Key Takeaways:
- Students engaged in hands-on prairie exploration through art and ecology workshops.
- The “Thinking Like a Prairie” project was led by artist Austin Camille and funded by the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust.
- Participants created art using natural materials like soil and grasses collected from a bison ranch near Grafton.
- A spring “prairie potluck” will showcase student artwork and include a community discussion on prairie conservation.
- The project helped students connect with the environment in a sensory, memorable way.
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