| Title | Cognate I |
| Artist / Creator | Lisa Miles |
| Artist's Nationality | United States |
| Place of Publication | Santa Fe NM |
| Publication Date | 2024 |
| Medium / Materials | Hand-beaten Japanese Kozo, Indigo |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 12 x 13.5 x 0.1 inches |
| Edition Size | Variable edition of 3 |
| Box / Wrapper | Signed paper wrapper, Wood magnetic hanger |
| Signed & Numbered | Unsigned, unnumbered |
Cognate I by Lisa Miles
The Cognate series is created on hand-beaten bark paper, naturally-dyed with plants, and explores the act of observing and revisiting the same landscape over time. Featuring minimal color blocking, the paperworks capture fleeting moments of transition, where shifts in light and color reveal subtle changes of day and season. Returning to the same scene again and again allows me to deepen my understanding of the complexity and interconnectedness of our planet.
The creation process is slow art, grounded in ritual. Time disappears. Hand-beating bark into paper and cloth is an ancient, repetitive practice that requires patience, persistence, and physical engagement. Cognate reflects on how repeated actions—whether observing, making, or connecting—shape our perceptions, ground us in the present, and offer new ways of seeing the world around us.
Artist Bio
Lisa Miles is a papermaker and book artist who creates one-of-a-kind hand-beaten bark paperworks. Originally from New England, Miles is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She holds an MFA in Book Arts from the University of Iowa Center for the Book, a BFA in Graphic Design from the New England School of Art & Design, and an AA in Printmaking from the Santa Fe Community College. In 2018, she received a Fulbright Arts Research Grant to study bark paper, barkcloth, and plant dyes in Indonesia. Her work is held in public and private collections.