[5] In the mid-1960s, during her time at Chouinard Art Institute, Mary Corse developed an interest in white monochrome paintings, favoring the controlled, geometric style of Minimalism.

[6] In 1968, Corse became interested in attempting to move these light boxes away from the wall without cords, necessitating the use of a Tesla coil, which supports wireless electricity.

Corse completed courses in quantum physics at the University of Southern California in order to earn certification to handle large Tesla coils for these works.

The series was conceptualized as a foil to her microsphere paintings, acting as a grounding strategy for Corse after a decade of White Light works.

In order to make the Black Earth works, Corse personally built her own extra-large updraft kiln on her Topanga property.

Begun in 1996, the series is characterized by a defined interior band that emerges from within the white field of microspheres and disappears as the viewer walks along the length of the work.

"[3] Corse's work has been featured in several historically significant exhibitions including Venice in Venice, a collateral exhibition created by Nyehaus in association with the J. Paul Getty Museum at the 54th Venice Biennale (2011) as well as Pacific Standard Time: Crosscurrents in L.A. Painting and Sculpture, 1950-1970 (J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles and Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany, 2011) and Phenomenal: California Light and Space (Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 2011) both of which were included as a part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A., 1945–1980.