By the hidden creek. | 44.956277/-92.507508

2023

27" x 21"     soil, acrylic binder, canvas  

June 12, 2023

Temperature: 72° F

Wind: 11 mph, cool and refreshing.

Humidity: 47%

It is partly sunny, about half an hour after a small cloudburst. The clouds are moving fast across the sky. There is a slight humidity in the air.

Crickets and birdsong can be heard. There is a dog barking in the distance. It began to rain again with a strong breeze as I walked; the drops were large and cold. The grasses were tall and difficult to navigate through, some even taller than I.

Collected the sample at 2:30 pm from 44.956277/-92.507508.

On the way back, I encountered a large crab spider and a swimming frog. I also underestimated how deep the water in another nearby creek was and fell in.

June 12, 2023

Oven-dried the sample at 200° F for about two hours.

UNREFINED SAMPLE WEIGHT: 404 grams.

June 13, 2023

23 minutes.

Began refining the sample. It is very silty with no large particles yet. However, there is a significant amount of plant matter in the sample. Long roots, mosses, and thin plant fibers mixed with the soil. The extent to which the fibers are present gives the sample a yellowish, warm hue.

June 15, 2023

9 minutes.

June 26, 2023

47 minutes.

Small, tan stone about 2 mm across found.

July 2, 2023

34 minutes.

July 11, 2023

36 minutes.

The sample has been proceeding quickly, providing little difficulty or unusualness.

July 16, 2023

36 minutes.

Small, black seed found in sample. Species unknown. The seed is about 1 mm at its widest point. The shape is a wide, flat teardrop, with a sharp, symmetrical point at its bottom. The center of either side is dimpled. Glossy surface. The outer shell of the seed shattered upon impact; interior is tan and has layers resembling a popcorn kernel.

While grinding the sample, a shard of iron from mortar flaked into the dirt. I removed as much of the contaminant as possible with tweezers but was not able to remove all of it. Given how little contaminant there was and the unlikelihood it will alter the final appearance of the painting, I decided to proceed regardless.

Complete.

TOTAL GRINDING TIME: 3.08 hours.

REFINED SAMPLE WEIGHT: 407 grams.

There are three additional grams present compared to the unrefined sample weight. This may be a result of faulty readings on the part of the scale, or perhaps shards of cast iron from the mortar have become incorporated into the soil.

August 14, 2023

Added 20 grams (1/20 volume by weight) of acrylic binder to the sample. Added water and applied to canvas.

August 15, 2023

Dry and complete.