Dose Makes the Poison

12” x 14”

Weaving, Textile, & Embroidery

In Collaboration with Anya-Jeninga Nehls, Emerging Contaminant Outreach Specialist with the National Resources Institute at the University of Wisconsin – Madison

As an artist, I merge my passions for art and environmental studies, creating work that reflects ecological issues through a creative lens. This piece is the result of a scientific collaboration with Emerging Contaminant Outreach Specialist Anya-Jeninga Nehls, whose research examines the effects of PFAS and Neonicotinoid pollution in local waterways. I was especially inspired by research shared from Tisha King-Heiden’s study “Understanding the Dangers of Neonicotinoid Pesticides to Fish,” which informed the conceptual foundation of this work.

My recent practice frequently explores aquatic themes, and in this piece I focus on minnows that serve as important indicators of ecosystem health. The work reflects Nehls’ findings about how neonicotinoids impair the C-start response, a rapid escape reflex in fish where the body curves into a “C” shape to swim away from danger. Exposure to these pollutants slows reaction time and negatively affects development and overall health. Many pollutants remain invisible in our waterways, making their impacts difficult to grasp. However, when we observe tangible effects on species we recognize and care about, the urgency of environmental change becomes clearer.

This textile mixed-media work translates those scientific ideas visually. A woven water background supports an embroidered minnow mid–C-start, while small green beads represent pollutants disrupting its development. All materials were sustainably sourced from local Madison stores. Through this piece, I hope to encourage viewers to reflect on the fragility of our aquatic ecosystems and the importance of protecting clean water.