This is America is a four-part artist talk series curated by Jaime Ransome and presented by the Woodstock School of Art (WSA). The series invites artists to reflect on how cultural, ethnic, and ancestral histories shape their practices—whether through technique, materials, themes, or artistic lineage. Informed by Ransome’s curatorial philosophy—community-driven, historically grounded, and centered on BIPOC, feminist, and queer perspectives—This is America transforms WSA’s gallery into a space of storytelling, resistance, and connection.

Marielena Ferrer’s experimental sculptural practice—highlighted by her thesis work with poison ivy—draws a sharp, poetic comparison between the ways humans affect the earth and how the earth, in turn, shapes us. Together, these artists bring forward distinct voices and visions that, when placed in dialogue, reveal the complexity, diversity, and richness of American art today.