Artwork copyright Margaret Ahrens Sahlstrand. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1992.

Fern and Salmonberry, 1989

Margaret Ahrens Sahlstrand
(American, born 1939, died 2023)

Location: Glenwood Elementary School, Lake Stevens

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Fern and Salmonberry is a collagraph print created by artist Margaret Ahrens Sahlstrand. In this technique, she collages small objects and various materials onto a printing plate, which she then uses to emboss the textured surface onto dampened paper. This artwork represents two native plants common to Washington State. Sahlstrand states, “My work has always been directly influenced by the things around me. Since I live in a rural setting, near the Yakima River, my work reflects the vegetation and daily life of the area.” It is an unconventional, minimalist portrait made of all natural, biodegradable materials.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Lake Stevens School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Margaret Ahrens Sahlstrand (1939-2023) was one of the main artists working with handmade paper in the Northwest. She often used organic objects and clothing in making her paper relief artworks. She notes, “My images come from my immediate environment which is rural. The objects, plants, and animals represented are important to me as strong visual images as well as for my own personal fondness for them. By interpreting my environment into paper form it may be enjoyed beyond its own life span.”

Sahlstrand grew up in Illinois. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lindenwood College in Missouri, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa. In 1965, she moved to Ellensburg, Central Washington, to join the Art Department at Central Washington State College, where she lived for the rest of her life. In 1981-82, she traveled and lived in Japan and Korea to study papermaking. Sahlstrand influenced several generations of students teaching papermaking and printmaking. She is Professor Emeritus at Central Washington University.