Featured image: Rushing c 22, Noreen Dean Dresser, 2022, mixed media, 36 x 48 in. / 91.44 x 121.92 cm.
Noreen Dean Dresser’s art poignantly explores the delicate relationship between nature and humanity, weaving narratives of loss, memory, and environmental change.
Noreen Dean Dresser creates mixed-media works that explore themes of memory, loss, and environmental change, blending organic materials with fire and ink.
Her mixed-media creations blend organic elements, fire, and ink, inviting viewers to reflect on the ecological consequences of human actions. Dresser confronts us with a world where nature’s beauty and fragility are slipping away.
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See No Evil, Noreen Dean Dresser, 2024, mixed media, 36 x 24 in. / 91.44 x 60.96 cm.
In See No Evil, Dresser combines White Throated Sparrow wings and feathers with fire and gloss wood, creating a haunting visual lament for the 250,000 birds lost annually to glass collisions in New York City. The scorched, textured surface emphasizes the violence of this human-induced tragedy, while the fragile feathers evoke a sense of mourning. Through this piece, Dresser challenges viewers to acknowledge the silent impact of urbanization on migratory birds, urging an awareness of what remains unseen but is critically real.
Remember the Woodland Habitat c22, Noreen Dean Dresser, 2022, mixed media, 36 x 24 in. / 91.44 x 60.96 cm.
This artwork features a torched wooden panel adorned with a Robin's nest, shamrocks, and fire-drawn patterns. Remember the Woodland Habitat meditates on the loss of avian habitats due to climate change, deforestation, and urban sprawl. The charred surface symbolizes the destructive forces of rising temperatures, while the nest represents a poignant symbol of home and nurturing—now under threat. The piece serves as a somber reminder of the habitats disappearing before our eyes, resonating deeply with viewers’ collective memory and responsibility.
Migrating Air till Not, Noreen Dean Dresser, 2024, mixed media, 36 x 24 in. / 91.44 x 60.96 cm.
Using the delicate remains of a Golden Crowned Kinglet, Dresser’s Migrating Air till Not encapsulates the ephemeral nature of life and the tragic consequences of glass collisions. The piece’s feather-light textures and muted palette evoke a sense of transience and fragility. The torched wood backdrop, streaked with ink, mirrors the destructive intersection of human infrastructure and natural migration paths. Dresser’s tactile approach connects viewers emotionally to the plight of these birds, compelling action and empathy.
Dresser’s See No Evil, Remember the Woodland Habitat, and Migrating Air till Not converge around the themes of loss, memory, and environmental accountability. Each artwork channels the silent cries of nature, bringing attention to the often-overlooked consequences of human development. Through her skillful use of organic materials and fire, Dresser creates a visceral narrative that reminds us of our duty to preserve and protect the fragile ecosystems around us. Together, these works form a compelling call to action: to see, to remember, and to cherish what remains before it slips away.
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Remember the Deep Forest, Noreen Dean Dresser, 2022, mixed media, 36 x 24 in. / 91.44 x 60.96 cm.
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