Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Thesis (Campus Access)

Degree Type

MS

College

Reed College of Media

Department

Reed College of Media

Committee Chair

Ashton Marra

Committee Co-Chair

Julia D. Fraustino

Committee Member

Gina Martino-Dahlia

Committee Member

James Kaemmerer

Abstract

This professional project offers the research grounding and basis for developing and pitching a comprehensive digital article for potential publication, with the ultimate goal of educating readers on the intersections of environmental protection, art history, and American culture. First, this research conducts a rhetorical analysis of 19th-century artworks, exploring the historical and cultural events that shape these pieces and contribute to societal perspectives on environmentalism and humanity's relationship with nature. Art during this century is heavily influenced by the American Frontier, which is accompanied by the idea of the sublime, the belief in manifest destiny, and romanticism. Although the duration of the American Frontier as a movement is debated, the time period specifically examined in this study spans from 1800 to 1900. The work herein investigates, through painting analysis, how the depiction of wilderness in 19th-century artwork affects the greater creation of American culture and the establishment of conservation and preservation initiatives. This includes how perspectives on cultivating land change, how the presentation of wilderness influences the relationship between Americans and nature, and how divine guidance shapes the conquest of colonization. Second, based on this foundational research, a professional project implementation is proposed. Specifically, the professional project “translates” the academic review of literature and accompanying rhetorical analysis into an engaging, educational article with annotated graphics for audiences with an interest in environmental protection and healthy communities. The article development is informed by studies showing higher readership retention and learning rates through written content supplemented by visually engaging and strategically designed graphic elements. The resulting article aims to simplify complex topics through visual modification, including but not limited to bolding, headings and subheadings, spacing, color usage, element placement, and print incorporation. The drafted article and graphics are then pitched for possible publication in The Appalachian Voice, a publication of the grassroots environmental advocacy organization Appalachian Voices. Ultimately, this professional project seeks to educate readers on the intersections of environmental and art history, thereby charting new ways of thinking for consumers as American culture is put into perspective.

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