Cicada Exuviae - Limited Edition of 5 Print

I want to contort nature to transcend its tangible being so that humans empathize with the vast organic life fostering a different kind of soul. I want the viewer to experience consciousness in the world in a palpable and immersive manner. I often find and collect plants and dead bugs that I find intricate or frail. Looking at these objects closely to observe the complex details they hide in plain sight is a driving element in my work. I resonate with bark and branches specifically when they show signs of small bugs burrowing and living in them, rocks and stones that have an evident formation process, and the small but intricate compositions of butterflies and dragonflies that have delicate but powerful wings. Through these details, the passage of time becomes visible in the ever changing processes of nature. A variety of soft and hard materials portray a range of textures and colors. I use found objects, many of which are organic things such as tree bark, feathers, and insects. My installation works explore how the viewer exists in the space with these organic forms. Repeated forms celebrate the seemingly calculated ways in which mathematics play a role in the creation of organic matter. The way in which the world and everything in it is formed with their unique properties and adaptations is beautiful in its complexity. I strive to express emotions, philosophy, and spirituality through the interpretation of the self as people exist among others and among their environment. My work is a meditative close observation of the natural world and how people and nature influence each other. Both humans and the environment are in a constant cycle of change, and one can easily assist or harm the other. There is much that natural order and chaos can teach humans. I also look towards nature to transcend to a pensive state of mind in which I can contemplate the spirituality of my place in the world. The existence of life feels fragile and fleeting. The great question of what our role is on the Earth can guide us to pondering how we can improve that Earth which humanity relies on. My work often has ghostly or ethereal qualities. The quietness of my pieces helps to bring in the viewer to inspect the details of the work more closely. One of my goals is to have the viewer observe nature more closely to spark an empathetic connection.