Kate the Earthling appears beside Midcoast, featuring a 6-foot by 6-foot moss, rock, and glass wall that captures Maine’s shoreline
Kate Shooltz and Mike Boisvert, initial collector of Acadia Gate
Employing preserved moss, stone, and glass, biophilic artist Kate Shooltz crafts sculptural landscapes that draw inspiration from the places where Maine’s land and sea converge.
“Kate made something that feels completely at home here. People want to move closer, learn how it’s constructed, and discuss the Maine locations that sparked it. That sense of wonder and connection is precisely what we’re after.”— Liz Ziegler, Founder of Harpswell CollectiveHARPSWELL, ME, UNITED STATES, August 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Biophilic artist Kate Shooltz, recognized as Kate the Earthling, has presented Ecotones, a brand-new eight-piece series shaped by Maine’s rugged shoreline, at Harpswell Collective, a waterfront creative community, gallery, and gathering space in Harpswell, Maine.
The collection launched during an Artist Showcase on August 20, drawing an enthusiastic audience to the Collective. By the end of the evening, the exhibition had already gained its first collector: Harpswell resident Mike Boisvert acquired Acadia Gate, a 36-by-36-inch piece constructed from reclaimed wood, preserved moss, ferns, amaranthus, and rocks.
For Shooltz, Ecotones represents a deeply intimate exploration of Maine’s coast.
An ecotone refers to the transitional zone where adjacent natural habitats meet. Along Maine’s coastline, forests transition into rocky shores, freshwater merges with saltwater, and terrestrial and marine ecosystems coexist side by side.
“In my latest collection, Ecotones, I find inspiration in the Maine coast, where life on land is intimately intertwined with the sea,” Shooltz said. “Through these rocky, lush, and shimmering pieces, I invite viewers to revisit their own coastal experiences — the sights, sounds, and scents of life at the edge.”
Shooltz drew from her own journeys across Maine, including hikes along the Bold Coast, tranquil evenings in Acadia, leisurely days on Monhegan Island, and explorations along the MidCoast.
Working with layers of preserved mosses, plants, rocks, and glass mosaic, Shooltz transforms those memories into dimensional landscapes. Her signature glass mosaic is used to emulate the motion of water and the play of light.
The finished collection comprises eight original works: Acadia Gate, Moonrise over Jordan Pond, Manana from Monhegan, A Foggy Night at Quoddy Head, Boot Head Plank Walk, Bold Coast, Dawn at Burnt Head, and Midcoast, an impressive 6-foot by 6-foot feature wall.
The exhibition has found a natural home at Harpswell Collective, which sits directly on the water on Harpswell Neck, surrounded by the convergence of forest, rock, and sea that inspired the series.
“Kate created something that feels completely at home here,” said Liz Ziegler, founder of Harpswell Collective. “People wanted to get closer, understand how it was made and talk about the Maine places that inspired it. That curiosity and connection is exactly what we want the Collective to create.”
Shooltz is a Philadelphia-based biophilic artist who has worked with preserved moss and plants for eight years. Her preserved botanical pieces require no water or sunlight while retaining their color and softness for years, allowing elements of the natural world to be incorporated into a wide variety of interior spaces.
Since launching Kate the Earthling in 2018, Shooltz has created one-of-a-kind works for public and private spaces across the United States. Her contribution to Olympic National Park’s glacier memorial Terminus art project appeared on the cover of National Parks magazine in Spring 2024.
Her work has also been featured in Biophilia Natural Trend, Chester County Life, SuperMoss, and PureWow, and has appeared on television, including Bravo TV, Fox29 Philadelphia, and NBC10 Philadelphia.
Ecotones is currently on display at Harpswell Collective, 1906 Harpswell Neck Road, Harpswell, Maine, through the end of 2026, or until sold.
About Kate the Earthling
Kate Shooltz is a Philadelphia-based biophilic artist whose practice centers on preserved mosses and natural materials. Inspired by the complexity and simplicity of nature, her work ranges from lush, textural green designs to elaborate arrangements incorporating florals, mushrooms, branches and shimmering glass mosaic. Her mission is to make meaningful connections to nature accessible to all. www.katetheearthling.com | instagram.com/@k8theearthling
About Harpswell Collective
Harpswell Collective is a new waterfront creative community, gallery, shop and gathering place on Harpswell Neck in Harpswell, Maine. Located in the former Estes Lobster House, the Collective brings together 18 working artists in studios upstairs, while hosting exhibitions, workshops, artist showcases, pop-ups and community events downstairs – designed to foster creativity and connection on the Maine coast.
Liz Ziegler
Harpswell Collective
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