"How to Keep Warm" Painting

It’s through making things and being in the outdoors that I am able to connect to the world and to find my place in it. In the outdoors, we are reminded of how small we are in the world. We experience the vastness of the universe and at the same time, the interconnectedness of it all. My paintings are abstract with references to the landscape. I am inspired by the poetry of nature: color and light in the landscape, seasons, and the passing of time. All of our senses are awakened when we spend time outside. The rhythm of steps while hiking, the whir and clicks on a bike ride, the changing shapes of light and shadow between trees, the sound of birdsong—the memory of all these impacts on my senses feeds into my process of abstraction. I love to explore my experiences in nature through the formal elements of color, shape, line and composition. I ultimately hope that through my artwork I can inspire people to return to the outdoors and build meaningful connections with others there.