Chris Oursler

Presenting: Wild on Purpose–Observations, Experiments, and Practice

Chris spent his childhood hopping from one United States Air Force base to another, all over the country and the world. A normal home was elusive, but Chris’s family provided one constant: A box of pencils and a sketch book. Chris’s drawings became his way of making friends as the perpetual ‘new kid’ in class. He began his art career at age 17 in West Texas. Then, as the oil wells stopped pumping, so did Chris’ burgeoning career. Relocating to his parents’ home at Richards Gebaur Air Force Base in Missouri, he had one goal: To get out of his parent’s basement.

Chris took the first job he could find. He became a seasonal laborer at a tree farm and nursery in Belton, MO. Working with nature itself became his new medium. He was struck by the textures, hues, and scale of horticulture and landscape architecture. Chris immersed himself in the Kansas City biome, working all roles in his chosen industry, developing his mastery of landscape design with an ecological goal.

In 2017 Chris joined Tory Shwope’s green industry conglomerate, DCA Outdoor, owner of Colonial Gardens. Chris was given an abundant palette and a louder voice. Colonial Gardens’ retail customers appreciated his regenerative landscape design. His role with DCA outdoor has expanded to product designer and landscape design specialist. Along with design work at the PlantRight X-Farm and X-Urbia, Chris is the end consumer’s voice in bringing products to market that align with regenerative landscape design principles.

Chris’ design vision, developed over a 30-year career, is “A future of Humanity’s return to The Garden.” He believes this vision will be the cultural legacy of 21st century civilization. His “Wild on Purpose” aesthetic communicates this vision.