Observing and participating in the natural cycles of the Earth has long been a part of my artistic practice. Paying close attention to changing seasons and natural systems helps me pause and reflect as humans shape and shift the Earth now more than ever. Studying how light moves through urban landscapes is a subtle reminder that I’m part of nature and not separate from it. Choosing to incorporate hiking and collecting into my practice is what feeds my adventuresome spirit and gives my heart new insights.
During a two-year project, I buried photographs in Forest Park. I didn’t know why I was doing it, I just knew I felt called to do so. By listening to my gut and following a more visceral path rooted in intuitive intelligence I made a remarkable discovery. When I unearthed the print after a year I discovered that digital glossy photographs are actually made of plastic.
In a Grieving Landscape you can see the plastic backing pulling away from the paper. Studying decomposition allows me to sit with the pain of the Earth and make concessions with my soul. After this project I committed to using matte paper in my work.
These quiet moments between one time and space and the next, help me understand how and why we’re living in the Anthropocene. Recognizing that plastic poisoning the Earth is what got us here, reminds me of what it means to be vulnerable. Holding these frustrations as our link and connection to each other is what gives me hope. Choosing to see the world through this lens is what fuels my photographic work.