NADYA STEARE: ESTUARINE FOOD WEB OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
/Estuarine Food Web of the Chesapeake Bay
by Nadya Steare @beastearey
September 11, 2024
About the Artwork
The longevity of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems rely on the presence of a stable food web. Each step of the food web is unique and important to the health of the ecosystem and those who depend on it for food, clean water, and recreation. Representing the Chesapeake Bay estuary, the rain barrel draws a correlation between the contents of stormwater runoff and the organisms it comes into contact with. This simplified diagram follows the possible transfer of carbon energy as native species interact across trophic levels.
Species included: Mallard, Osprey, Great blue heron, Red drum, Atlantic croaker, Menhaden, Atlantic silverside, Maryland blue crab, Eastern Oyster, Zooplankton, Eelgrass.
About the Project
George Mason Facilities & Campus Operations donated a rainwater barrel to the School of Art for installation at the Sculpture Yard to raise awareness about stormwater management using public art. Murals at Mason commissioned a mural by Nadya Steare that encompasses the estuarine food web of the Chesapeake Bay.
An event was organized by Mason Exhibitions on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 for the Mason community to participate in painting and decorating the rainwater barrel according to Steare’s design.
About the Artist
Nadya Steare received her BFA from the George Mason School of Art and works as a biomedical illustrator and exhibiting artist. She was a 2020 recipient of the Virginia Museum of Fine Art Fellowship and 2023 OSCAR Research Excellence Award. Solo exhibition venues include “Re_Source Art’ at Delaplaine Arts Center (Frederick, MD) and ‘Middle Ground’ at Deiglan Gilfélagið (Akureyri, Iceland). Group exhibition venues include Washington County Museum of Fine Art, McLean Project for the Arts and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. Visit her Instagram to view her ongoing work engaging with the natural world @beastearey.
About Murals at Mason
Mason Exhibitions, through its Murals at Mason program, produces public art projects to create a sense of place and community on campus and in surrounding public areas. Murals at Mason offers mentorship to student, local, and emerging artists on mural-making for on- and off-campus clients. We also work in collaboration with University partners to commission large-scale public art on campus. Follow Mason Exhibitions and Murals at Mason on Instagram and Facebook @masonexhibitions @muralsatmason.
Special Thanks to Project Sponsors
George Mason Facilities and Campus Operations: Land Development team
The Patriot Green Fund (PGF), financed by George Mason Facilities and managed by the University Sustainability team
Mason Exhibitions
Murals at Mason
University Life
Special Thanks to Project Collaborators
Brenda Claudio Cruz, Ben Ashworth, Ben Auger, Jenn Ashworth, Yassmin Salem, Zhongyan Xu
