“City in the Forest” inspired the cover of this issue, and in turn, was was directly inspired by earthbag architecture and the Honey House, featured in TLS Issue 55. Living as a part of the “city in a forest”, I wanted to illustrate lush and biodiverse tree dwellings of all sizes at various sections of the vining roots. Multi-species living in earthen homes, even if illustrated in fantastical and fictitious ways, is something I hold close as Atlanta’s nutritious forest canopy is under immense threat of continual development. It is projects like The Last Straw that energize me to continue the practice of envisioning a hopeful future with practical and interconnected solutions in the midst of mass destruction and layered exploitation. Just like the nonhuman world, we too can make home with earth and each other, rebuilding from the decay.
Rebecca Rodriguez is a multidisciplinary artist living in Atlanta, GA. They hold a BFA in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking from the University of North Florida. Currently, they practice fictitious ecological world-building through ceramics, painting, comic books, and music. They are a research volunteer at the Amphibian Foundation in Atlanta, GA, where they assist in conservation practices, specifically with blue spotted salamanders and the foundation’s nursery. Caring for these beings and the furtherment of their species is a strong reminder to Rodriguez that laboring in love gifts life. You can find more of their work at:
Rebeccarodriguezart.com
Instagram: @armarierodriguez
