By In Theory Art Studios in collaboration with Laura Tohe and Nora Naranjo-Morse | Huntsville, Utah 

grandmother turtle reflects a tapestry of human-environment relationships across time, taking the form of the endangered and western native desert tortoise. Contemporary laser-cut petroglyphs are designed by renowned artist Nora Naranjo-Morse, Kha’p’o Owenge (Santa Clara Pueblo) member. They speak of present-day Native life—of evolving stories and connections to a changing world, expressed through a modern reimagining of traditional symbolism. Current Arizona and previous Navajo Nation Poet Laureate, Arizona State University professor emerita, and Diné and Laguna Pueblo member Laura Tohe further illuminates this theme, her words becoming a lyrical thread, winding through the etchings on grandmother turtle’s shell and tracing the journey of grandmother turtle from the ancestral past to a present shattered to a future of hope.

Emily Nicolosi from In Theory Art Studios provides the canvas for these journeys through a powder-coated steel desert tortoise, and interactive projection mapping further explores our connections to the natural world.

About In Theory Art Studios

In Theory Art Studios is the studio of artist Emily Nicolosi. She has exhibited her works across the United States at festivals, cultural gatherings, museums, and in public spaces from Los Angeles and Salt Lake City to Houston and Miami. In Theory Art Studios is the recipient of several awards and grants, including The Land Art Generator Initiative, Salt Lake City Arts Council, and Burning Man’s Honoraria Grant Program. Nicolosi is a painter, sculptor, and public artist. She was formally trained in studio art at the University of Vermont and later earned her doctorate in geography from the University of Utah. Today, she pursues her interest in the intersection of humanity, place, and environment through the sculptures she designs for In Theory Art Studio. Visit InTheoryArtStudios.com.

About Laura Tohe

Laura Tohe is Diné, of the Tsénahabiłnii, Sleepy Rock People clan, and was born for the Tódich’inii, Bitter Water clan. She grew up in Crystal, New Mexico, near the Chuska Mountains on the Diné homeland. Her published books include Making Friends with Water; No Parole Today; Sister Nations: Native American Women Writers on Community, co-edited with Heid E. Erdrich; Tséyi' / Deep in the Rock: Reflections on Canyon de Chelly, in collaboration with photographer Stephen Strom; and Code Talker Stories. Her work has appeared in the United States, Canada, South America, and Europe with French, Dutch, and Italian translations. Tohe is a professor with exemplar distinction in the English Department at Arizona State University and is an Arizona Speaks presenter for the Arizona Humanities, which awarded her the 2006 Dan Schilling Public Scholar award. In 2015, Tohe was honored as the Navajo Nation Poet Laureate for 2015–2017, a title given to her in celebration and recognition of her work as a poet and writer. Tohe was appointed the Arizona Poet Laureate in January 2026. Visit LauraTohe.com. 

About Nora Naranjo Morse

Nora Naranjo Morse’s most recent body of work is made from recycled materials. Working with wire, plastic, and other discarded materials, Naranjo Morse is forging a new direction in her work. Although known for her ceramics, Naranjo Morse’s new forms express her distinctive aesthetics and ongoing approach to artistic growth. Naranjo Morse works in several mediums, including organic materials. The ephemeral installation Always Becoming—made of clays, packed earth, wood, and stone—can be seen at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. A feature-length documentary focuses on the making of the five Always Becoming sculptures and on the themes of land and community that underpin the installation concept. Naranjo Morse’s work has been exhibited nationally at numerous museums and internationally. She continues to explore issues of environment, culture, and the social practice of making art with community. Visit NoraNaranjoMorse.squarespace.com


Instagram: @In_Theory_Art

In Theory Art Studios Website: InTheoryArtStudios.com

Laura Tohe's Website: LauraTohe.com

Nora Naranjo Morse’s Website: NoraNaranjoMorse.squarespace.com