My botanist friend Thomas Atencio is a widely recognized expert on sunflowers, but uses his talents to teach Native American students about the shapes, textures and colors of nature at the Institute for American Indian Arts in Santa Fe:
“In hot, dry, inhospitable climates, even the most cynical have a respect for and value how plants can survive. Deserts are not for the faint of heart; plants must adapt to various struggles. Desert plants live on the edge; I have always found people, places, and plants on the edge more fascinating. It is the edge that moves one forward. Adaptability is genius, and plants are nothing if not adaptable.”
