The Asteraceae Project

constellations of care, creativity and connection on and with the land

residency opportunities for practice-based researchers

Like humans, plants in the asteraceae (æ-steh-ray-si) family are diverse in number, longevity and appearance. They thrive on all continents, except Antarctica, and tend to follow the sun, unfurling during the day and closing after sunset. Each flower head is made up of a constellation of individual florets: a community of companions that reply on one another to find form. The seeds drift and are carried across oceans and human borders. Particular members of the asteraceae are noxious weeds to some and valued medicine by others.

I have grown to encounter and know some of the asteraceae family that inhabit the small parcel of land in rural Ontario that I live, work and create with. This place shapes my thinking around intercultural practice, creative expression, and sustainability. It has also informed my the belief that nervous system regulation is key to intercultural competence and is necessary for sustainable and harmonious futures.

The Asteraceae Project is a seasonally driven opportunity for interdisciplinary practitioners to spend time on and and learn from the land my family and I care for, and to experiment with constellations of care, creativity and connection, with both humans and other-than-humans.

Currently the residency placements are by referral. However, in time, I intend to welcome self-directed, interdisciplinary practitioners to contribute to and shape the Asteraceae Project. If you are interested in connecting about this project or to be added to a mailing list to receive more information as it develops, please feel free to contact me.

In the summer of 2024, I facilitated a pilot residency placement, Co-create to Co-regulate. Anchored in creative exploration, meaningful dialogue, and opportunities for “deep listening” to the self and to others, we planted the first seeds of the Asteraceae Project.