I live in the center of a city, in the middle of a desert surrounded on all sides by the enormity of the horizon. The environment is harsh. Everything is exposed. Nothing is hidden. I walk and forage in the dusty, hot landscape collecting seeds, bones and other odd bits that most might overlook[...]I hope to bring a focus, a new way of seeing, a new life to the objects I find. My collected specimens - ephemera preserved, protected - celebrate the endless cycles of change and rebirth in nature.

(Mayme Kratz)

In The length of daylight, Arizona-based artist Mayme Kratz explores the beauty of organic materials found underfoot during long walks in the desert. From these fragile natural remnants, Kratz finds both medium and muse. Within layers of sanded resin, seed pods, sun-washed bones, wisps of grass, and other overlooked debris become illuminated in suspended patterns. By encasing these delicate and ethereal forms in colored resin, Kratz reflects on the cycles of life, memory, and change.

Kratz highlights the balance between loss and renewal, inviting viewers to recognize the quiet beauty that arises through transformation. Her shapes and compositions feel both earthly and cosmic, suggesting that the smallest details in nature can mirror the vastness of the stars. The length of daylight reveals Kratz’s ability to connect the intimate with the infinite. Her works encourage us to pause, look closely, and see how even the most delicate fragments of the natural world hold stories of wonder and resilience.