Learning about Soil Sciences through Art and History.
Throughout history, soil has served us in many means, and although most of us are used to seeing soils as a medium for plant growth, habitat for organisms, or material for construction, there are also other exciting and dynamic ways we can use it.
Today we introduce to you, Zoelie and her Zoils project! This project utilizes soil sciences with arts and humanities to promote how incredible soil is. It gives history and science facts, fun activities and has amazing photos of different textures and colors that soil has. Here we share some inside information on this amazing Instagram page (@zoils_arte_suelo_ser)!
What is “Zoils“? How and why did it start?
Zoils: “arte-suelo-ser” (art-soil-being), is a life project, whose mission is to integrate soil science with the arts, humanities, and other sciences. They promote learning and exploration of soil concepts through creative processes and collaborative work. Zoils was born from social gatherings between her colleagues, from imagining their future.
The project has short and long-term objectives, it is currently in the development phase of pigments with soils, didactic material, workshops and lifting the foot for long-term objectives, including opening a headquarters with a collection of soils, for interactive exhibition (a museum), and field courses to learn about the diversity of soils there is in our archipelago.
Who is behind this project?
Her name is Zoelie, she’s from Gurabo, P.R., but currently resides in Cabo Rojo, P.R. She studied Biology in the UPR-Rio Piedras and has a master’s in Soils Sciences from the UPR-Mayaguez. She promotes agroecology.
What got her into soils?
“Reflecting on the attraction to the soils, it was hidden, today while I work with Zoils’ clays, it remotes me to my childhood when I played in the kitchen and made dishes with dirt and leaves from the backyard of my house. The connection to the ground comes from feeling it part of my daily life while walking barefoot on the grandfather’s farm. Soils came back to my life in a more tangible way when my mentor contacted me for a research project.”
What have been the main challenges she has encountered throughout the project and how has she overcome them?
“Zoils has been an investigation, from finding the right proportion of the ingredients to making the watercolors, to how to select the models to form the entity. This has been one of the greatest challenges that have taken a little longer, not all soils behave the same when making paints. The most fun part of working with the project is being able to get my hands dirty and feel the energy stored in the soils. Zoils should be fun, it is a responsibility, but I cannot and do not want to see it as a burden, because I am passionate about what I do, and I want to share this passion with others.“
“In addition to myself and my partner Eric, Zoils has increased its family with two professional colleagues: Soraya Argirakis and Kimberly Santiago. Zoils has led me to meet colleagues who have worked with soils and their art for years. Zoils has also connected me to seek mentorship from scientists of different areas, to incredible people and projects. That is Zoils, it’s a connection of being with art through the ground.”
Girls in Civil is very grateful for Zoeile and her amazing responses to our questions!
We hope you have liked our small interview. To check out her project click the link below. For further questions you can message them or send them an email.
