Lucia De Tierra is the working pseudonym of Lucia Van Ert- a self-taught, queer Chicana artist from Northern California. It is also the Spanish translation of her surname meaning “of the earth”, a phrase she feels captures the inter-connectivity of the natural world and ourselves as pivotal threads within its tapestry.

Her recent works have unfolded through two distinct, though interdependent projects. Alma De La Tierra is a developing series of “I Spy” like compositions which feature various hidden objects tucked into arrangements of plants and wildlife native to landscapes historically cherished by local indigenous communities. She draws inspiration from native histories and ecological knowledge that have long shaped and sustained the landscapes she depicts. The series invites a whimsical exploration of the land, while introducing native edible plants, medicines and other natural treasures. Alongside this, she developed The Phoenix Method, a therapeutic art practice cultivated through her work as an Art Mentor for the Boys and Girls Club and her personal experiences with chronic illness, loss and life’s unpredictable transitions. The practice is designed to redirect difficult or destructive emotional states into intentional, transformative directions through creative neuroplastic modulation.

Through her work she hopes to continue exploring the countless parallels and reflections between inner and outer landscapes, amplify indigenous perspectives, advocate for reparations, and emphasize the revolutionary potential that arises from growth harmoniously guided by decolonized ecological consciousness.