Artist Grace Emmet. (Nathalie Ferrier)
By Brandon Goss
“My hope is that people take away this idea that the natural world and the human world are not totally separate,” said eco-artist Grace Emmet. Her exhibit “Stories of Succession,” on display at the Higgins Art Gallery, presents a visual narrative of a world that is constantly changing.
“Way” by Grace Emmet, 2025. (Brandon Goss)
Grace Emmet is an eco-artist, writer, teacher, and program director with a BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her goal is to help people connect with nature and better understand the complex systems that shape the natural world.
Emmet’s focus in “Stories of Succession” centers on ecological literacy, or an understanding of how natural systems function and interact. “It’s really important for me to understand my subject matter—whether that’s the birds I’m drawing or a specific ecosystem—and to understand all the elements and how they work together,” Emmet said.
“King’s Pine” by Grace Emmet, 2026. (Brandon Goss)
“The title ‘Stories of Succession’ is hinting at two different things,” Emmet explained. Ecological succession, she said, “is the process that ecosystems undergo when they’re changing from one thing to another.”
Emmet also uses the term to reference the human forces that have shaped landscapes over time. “When Western European settlers first came to New England, they cut down large areas of forest to build ships and structures and turn the land into pasture and farmland,” Emmet said. “Over time, as agriculture moved west, many of those forests regrew in abandoned pastures—but they look different than they once did. That process of landscape change is known as succession.”
“Surf Scoter” by Grace Emmet, 2025. (Brandon Goss)
Emmet’s art is not solely based on research; she also draws inspiration from her own experiences. The exhibit begins with depictions of nature in its pure form, but later pieces such as “Surf Scoter” and “Rabbit” introduce a darker perspective.
“A lot of my inspiration comes from walking and observing nature,” Emmet said. “In those instances, I came across a dead rabbit and a surf scoter, which gave me the rare opportunity to study them closely.”
“Rabbit” by Grace Emmet, 2025. (Brandon Goss)
Emmet said creating the pieces was also influenced by her own feelings about where the world is headed.
“When I created those pieces, I was going through a lot of anxiety about where the world is headed. Working on them became a way for me to express that ecological grief and those fears about the environment.”
Emmet’s overarching message is that she hopes society will reawaken its understanding of the fundamentals of natural life. “Nature and the human world are not totally separate—they’re very much intertwined,” Emmet said. “We have the power to use natural resources for destruction, but we also have the power to be stewards of the land. The more we understand our impact, the more we’re able to do good.”
Through her understanding of nature and her passion for art and education, Emmet illustrates the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. The exhibit moves from depictions of nature in its pure form to the introduction of infrastructure in New England before descending into the darker consequences of human interference with ecological systems.
“Stories of Succession” will remain on display at the Higgins Art Gallery through March 13.
