At the core of this body of work is a deep love and appreciation for the beauty and wonder of the world in its natural state.  I grew up going on road trips with my family that always revolved around hiking.  I learned at a young age to really see and observe the vegetation, the local flora and fauna that each destination had to offer, and to take the time to breathe it all in.  It became a spiritual and enlightening experience for me.

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I've always used the human form in my work as a means for exploring emotional states of being.   After extensive reading and study on the idea of soul and environment, merging this with abstracted landscapes happened organically for me.  I wanted to illustrate the weight of space, the pull when I'm among trees.  Like the air is wrapping its arms around me, embracing me in a way that can't be achieved through physical contact. 

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These paintings are about that feeling - the sense of deep connection to our surroundings that can be experienced only if we open our eyes to it.  

 

I loved every moment of creating this body of work.  From nature walks and capturing photographs in the woods, to then immersing myself in the process of layering the scenes, I allowed myself to get completely lost.  They transported me to a place far from the confines of the four walls that make up my studio.  Each piece consumed me during it's creation, and they are a part of me.  Though the subjects are not me, in a way they are all self portraits.   

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Most of the photographs I used for inspiration were taken at our ranch property, yet these works are not intended to be an interpretation of a specific place.  Rather, they are glimpses of a timeless and universal landscape, a place we can all reach within ourselves.  Maybe we've been there before, whether in dreams or reality....an intimate space that is at once fleeting and forever.