The initial inspiration for these pieces came from a visit to the southwest during the summer of 2021. I’d never been to that part of the country before and the feeling of awe that came with experiencing the immense landscape was overwhelming. I was enamored with the striated minerals in the rocks, like looking at the endless veins of the earth. I felt compelled to replicate the feeling of these lines by using charcoal and pastel in my paintings, reflecting the different vibrating frequencies and intensity of the rock lines. The sky never felt so blue, and the hues of blue as the sun rose and set brought a feeling of sacred peace. I needed to incorporate the colors of the landscape in some way, such as the ancient red clay and the intense blue and white of the sky. There was also a need to leave areas of the bare canvas and panel exposed, to try and capture the feeling of openness of the landscape. I wanted to convey the feelings I had of yearning to connect with the earth’s energy and taking those feelings with me upon my return.
As I’ve continued exploring my abstract connection to the landscape, I’ve found recurring inspiration in the visual references of my daily life. I’m haunted by the image of a large tree standing in a vacant field near where I live. You can view the tree through an exposed billboard, and I'm constantly looking at this solitary tree through the wooden framing device as the weather changes throughout the year. There’s a sense of strength but also fragility, as if this tree could outlast any man-made structure while also being vulnerable to the encroachment of commercialism.