Psalm of Ascent

Becky Hawley

Paper and ephemera, natural materials, waxed linen thread

14" x 30" x 12"

This handmade book was created for the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park. It was created just a couple of years after a devastating fire in the park, and acknowledges much of the damage done due to human actions. The book chronicles some of the history of the park, originating from Arapahoe and Ute land, through creation of a National Park, to the current state of an overwhelming amount of visitors—many of whom do not treat the park with the respect that it deserves. The book incorporates many natural materials including beetle kill pine (which contributes to the fire danger). Pages are dyed with natural materials, including rabbit brush, abundant in the lower elevations of the park.