Artist Statement
I’m a lifelong apprentice to the animate world, and everything I make stems from this. I like to work with beings that are classified as poisonous, invasive, or have a misunderstood reputation - they seem to tell important stories about boundaries, liminality, and the great mysteries, all of which are needed at this moment in time. I use myth and symbolism as an open language, drawing heavily on folklore influences and flirting with visionary art themes. But above all, I make art to facilitate connection where it has been lost, and nothing makes me happier than bonding over the shared love of a plant.
Biography
Mila Roeder (they/them) is an artist and animist with a passion for traversing the unknown. Devoted to the Appalachian Mountains, they work closely with plants that are classified as poisonous, invasive, or have a misguided reputation. They also write and teach about developing relationships with an animate world, especially within the intersection of plants and death.