Projects such as Water Stories—created during Art in the Open along the Schuylkill River—extend my inquiry into language and impermanence. Through participatory acts like perforating paper with incense, I explore how ephemeral gestures can become systems of meaning. In Water Stories (2015–2018), developed during the Art in the Open residency with CFEVA and the Fairmount Water Works, I inhabited a 10’ x 10’ tent along the Schuylkill River with my then eight-year-old daughter, transforming the space into a site for contemplation and participation. Using lit incense sticks to perforate paper, I created patterns that functioned as a visual language—marks that echo the rhythm of storytelling and the passage of time. This work reflects my ongoing interest in systems of meaning and the interplay between material process and ephemeral experience.

marie yoho dorsey

marie yoho dorsey