Carved by Water, Captured by Stone
Grand Canyon Conservancy's pilot Emerging Artist in Residence Sonora Rain Orchard will be displaying artwork capturing the textures and stories of our collective connection to Grand Canyon's layered geology and hydrology.
- July 23, 2026
- 9:00AM–2:30PM MST
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Outside of Yavapai Geology Museum
Meet Rain and learn more about their work. The piece uses clay as its primary medium and was created during Rain's residency at Grand Canyon. It serves as a culmination of their time here, though they plan to continue developing the work beyond the residency.
The project introduces the concept of an “outstellation,” inspired by the idea of an installation, but placed outdoors within the landscape that inspired the work. Through clay impressions of the Canyon’s textures and forms, Rain invites visitors to engage with the geology and hydrology of Grand Canyon and reflect on our connection to the landscape.
Sonora Rain Orchard, NAU Emerging Artist Awardee
Sonora Rain Orchard is a ceramic artist and environmentalist whose work is rooted in a deep love for the desert. Their practice combines figurative sculpture, desert-derived textures, and depictions of the natural world. Working across disciplines, Rain sources local “wild” clay and engages in drawing, metal work, and printmaking. Rain is a prospective 2026 graduate of the School of Art & Design at Northern Arizona University. During their residency, they intend to find new ways to incorporate geological stories and ecological narratives into their visual language, creating work that inspires viewers to see themselves as a part of canyon’s majestic environment.