Jennifer McKinnon is a visual Artist based in Atlanta, whose work focuses on a combination of digital composited photography and collage. Her latest body of work, "Organic Landscapes,” is a tribute to the establishment of our national parks system, with a special focus on Georgia’s Cumberland Island which was designated a National Seashore in 1972. Through her lens, Jennifer captures the innate beauty and majesty of these preserved landscapes, while also drawing attention to our human impact on the environment.

In addition to celebrating our national parks, “Organic Landscapes” also addresses the role of organic waste in our landfills and the impact it has on climate change. “Organic waste buried in landfill cells deprived of oxygen during the decomposition process, releases methane gas which is far more potent than carbon dioxide, in turn driving the pace of climate change,” says Jennifer. “Using reclaimed papers and fabrics treated with dyes extracted from organic materials such as rose petals, acorns, black beans, avocado skin and pits, red cabbage, spinach, and turmeric, this series of abstract assemblages mimic the process by which landfills are formed, cell by cell, layer by layer.” Jennifer’s "Organic Landscapes" is a testament to the delicate balance between natural preservation and human progress.

A Walk Across Cumberland Island

Designated as National Seashore in 1972, Cumberland Island is located off the coast of Georgia.  Our journey begins in the Maritime Forest where tree branches dripping with spanish moss provide a canopy where songbirds fill the air with their music and green vegetation blanket the forest floor. In the marshland, a pair of herons pose for the crowd adorned in high fashion frocks and flowing locks. Muddy trails turn to sand eventually giving way to an expansive landscape filled with sand dunes topped with green grasses flowing against a beautiful blue sky.  

Through a process of digital compositing, a collection of original photographs featuring Cumberland Island are transformed using bits and pieces of dumpster walls. String from tape on a South Carolina dumpster mimics wispy spanish moss blowing in the breeze. Rusted weathered metal creates a bark like texture for the maritime forest trees. A metallic blue dumpster located at the back of Ansley Mall in Atlanta creates the shimmering ocean giving way to a green marshland in the distance. Markings on the side of a green dumpster photographed on the streets of Dallas, Texas creates the seagrass atop sand dunes created from a dumpster photographed in South Carolina. 

Birds fashioned from magazines, organically dyed papers, handmade paper, and reclaimed textiles set against a dumpster backdrops, celebrate the important designation of Cumberland Island National Seashore as a United Nations sanctioned International Biosphere Reserve protecting numerous species of migratory and shore birds.
 

"Cumberland Island Maritime Forest, GA," digitally composed archival prints mounted on wood panels, 60 by 30 inches

"Cumberland Island Sand and Sky," digitally composed archival prints mounted on wood panels, 30.5 by 56 inches

"Organic Landscapes: Cumberland Island, Sand Dunes," edition 2 of 10, digitally composed archival print on paper, 24 by 18 inches

"Hot Couture Herons," handmade and naturally dyed papers, fashion magazines & repurposed materials mounted on archival pigment print, 30 by 40 inches

"Organic Landscapes:  Marsh View, Cumberland Island National Seashore, GA," digitally composed archival print on paper, 30 by 40 inches

Celebrating the shapes, colors, and textures formed over thousands of years, Organic Landscapes: Abstracts showcases a collection of assemblages inspired by visits to National Parks across the country. Each piece incorporates reclaimed fabrics and papers treated with natural dyes extracted from food and plants. Organic shapes and forms are created from tearing handmade paper and pools of dye formed during the drying process. Photographs, papers, and fabric cut in rectangular shapes feel less organic, creating a juxtaposition between organic and inorganic shapes and materials. Viewers are challenged to reflect on the footprint they leave behind with each piece of trash sent to landfills.

"Organic Landscapes (Yellowstone NP, Mammoth Hot Springs No. 1)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from coffee, tea and red cabbage, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Yellowstone NP, Lone Tree)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from coffee, tea, black beans, acorns and avocados, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Badlands NP, Hills & Sky)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from coffee, tea and avocados, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Crater Lake NP, Sapphire Blues)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from acorns, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Yellowstone NP, Steps No. 1)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from acorns, turmeric, coffee and tea, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Death Valley NP, Artist Palette)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from red cabbage, rose petals and black beans, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Zion NP, Emerald Pools)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from black beans, avocados, rose petals and spinach, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Great Smoky Mountains, Trees)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from turmeric and coffee, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Yellowstone NP, Mammoth Hot Springs No. 2)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from red cabbage, spinach, avocados, coffee and tea, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Yellowstone NP, Steps No. 2),"  handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from coffee and tea, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Slot Canyon Walls)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from rose petals, avocados and coffee, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Cumberland Island NS, Sand Dunes)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from tea and coffee, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Haleakala NP, Sand Formations)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from rose petals, tea and avocados, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Yellowstone NP, Pool No. 1)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from acorns, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Death Valley NP, Purple Rocks)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from red cabbage, rose petals and black beans, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Redwood NP, Sky View)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from spinach and coffee, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Hawai'i Volcanoes NP, Ocean View)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from acorns and rose petals, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Badlands NP in Thirds)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from coffee, tea and avocados, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Death Valley NP, Marble Canyon),"
handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from red cabbage, rose petals, black beans, coffee and tea, 12 by 9 inches

"Organic Landscapes (Yellowstone NP, Prismatic Pool No. 1)," handmade and reclaimed paper, photographs and fabric treated with dyes extracted from turmeric and coffee, 12 by 9 inches

AVAILABLE WORKS