​​Artist Statement

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My creative process begins with a solitary walk in the woods, away from the clamor of modern life. For the past decade, my practice was rooted in painting realistic trees in oil. Recently, however, my work has shifted from a literal representation of the landscape to an evocative, abstract distillation of it. I now spend hours plein air painting in woods and prairies, translating the sounds, smells, and sights of the environment directly onto the canvas. Back in the studio, these raw, sensory experiences are synthesized and transformed into delicate, abstract paper constructions.

Using handmade paper, natural objects, and layered plant fibers, I build transparent, fragile surfaces that embody my passion for the natural world. A palette of faded, warm tones hints at memories of the landscape, sleep, or decay. Within these compositions, embedded strings of fiber transform into shifting imagery, simultaneously reading as wild grasses and tangled branches.

I purposefully push these pieces beyond traditional boundaries. Organic shapes break the straight edges of the rectangular picture plane, while suspending the work away from the wall allows ambient light to cast intricate shadows. When backlit, the internal texture of the layered paper radiates. By abandoning literal depiction, these abstract, organic forms offer viewers a rare glimpse inside the deep, felt experience of the woods.

 

 

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