What does the future look like?
Shepard says that now that he and Moore
have their proof of concept, they can get more
artistic and experimental. "We're just cracking
our knuckles here," Moore says, laughing.
"I've been reflecting on the question of what is the
space that we are entering into, and where is this
collaboration taking us," says Shepard. "It's occurred
to me that we're not being drawn to anything—
we're creating a new space. That's so exciting to
me." Shepard wants to use his 3D art and animation
skills to create new virtual spaces with Tree Jays. "I'd
like to create VR (virtual reality) experiences so that
folks can 'enter the tunnel', so to speak, from either
end. What I mean by that is that some people are
already communing with nature in an ancestral way
but could be drawn to learning more about tech-
nology, while other people may be immersed in tech
already but could benefit from more of a connection
to nature. I'm really into this idea of getting the same
messages from multiple directions, intertwined."
For anyone who's intrigued by the ideas in this
feature, Moore recommends the 2021 book Finding
the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest
by University of British Columbia Forest Ecologist
Dr. Suzanne Simard, and her Ted Talk, "How Trees
Talk to Each Other." With more than 30 years of
research under her belt, Simard proved that trees
in a forest can exchange nutrients, as do paper-
bark birch (Betula papyrifera) and Douglas fir trees
(Pseudotsuga menziesii), for example. She also proved
that a "Wood Wide Web" of mycelia (underground
fungal networks) is the delivery system for the sharing
of nutrients. "I learned from her research that the
biggest, oldest trees are the hub of the network
and will assist the trees around them," Moore says.
"This resonates with us, as one of our goals is to
awaken people to the interconnectedness of life."
Moore adds, "We've observed that isolation is the
driving force for greed and selfishness … a bottom-
less pit can never be filled. We don't need more
consumption, we need more connection."
Oakland, California Mayor Libby Schaaf awarded Blake Shepard and David Moore the Mayor's Choice Award for
their Palm Reflections xhibit at the sold-out Oakland 2021 Autumn Lights Festival. Photo Courtesy Mayoral Staff
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