YBCA 10

Soul Tree Forest (2022) | Deanna Van Buren

dreamseeds | May 14–September 4, 2022

Deanna Van Buren’s Soul Tree Forest is an installation of living trees, plants, and a constructed forest floor with seating that invites participants to sit, smell, touch, and wander through a micro forest. Inside the forest, a soundscape of music, poetry, and nature’s voice emerges in fragments as visitors approach each tree to receive and leave behind prayers for the planet. Hung within the forest will be 3D printed cocoon “soul lights” and seed paper orbs that visitors can take away to plant. The trees will be returned to communities Van Buren works in to support the 100K tree initiative in Oakland.

Seed Baby Paper

If you are here you have a seed baby to raise. The seed babies are embedded into different types of handmade paper that represent the ancient colors our ancestors used in all textiles. They were made locally at Shotwell Paper Mill using traditional Western papermaking tools and techniques. Each color/number is a different seed so check your color to see which seed baby you have. 

1. Chia: Made from San Francisco grown New Zealand Flax 

2. Prickly Pear: Paper made from raw cotton futon stuffing 

3. Ponytail  Palm: made from denim 

4. Bronze Mignonette Lettuce: Made from cardboard 

5. Miner’s Lettuce: Made from recycled matt board from SF MOMA 

6. Spearmint: Made from recycled coffee filters

Instructions

Step #1: Saturate: Soak your seed paper with water and place it in a plastic tupperware with a cover.

Step #1: Saturate: Soak your seed paper with water and place it in a plastic tupperware with a cover.

Step #2: Germinate: You can keep the container inside near a window. It should stay damp that way. Germination time is 1-3 weeks. You should see little shoots coming up.

Step #2: Germinate: You can keep the container inside near a window. It should stay damp that way. Germination time is 1-3 weeks. You should see little shoots coming up.

Step #3: Plant: After seeds have germinated, plant your paper spreading a thin layer (.25 inch of loose soil). Water well and allow for plenty of sunshine and watch your babies grow!