ARTIST STATEMENT

My watercolor and mixed media paintings celebrate the natural world. I have a specific interest in native plants and their function in preserving our shrinking natural habitat for our beloved critters. My goal is to elevate nature motifs to the sublime and spark people's awe in the natural world around them. I want to provoke the feeling of standing on top of a mountain completely awestruck, but while looking at an iridescent beetle or a strange caterpillar.

BIO

While I was always an artist from childhood, my profession as a painter began with thru-hiking and carrying a tiny watercolor kit with me. I spent months at a time on trails, capturing what I saw, from the silly to the spectacular. The wilderness, as well as the community of people who enjoy it, have profoundly impacted my well-being, and I want to remind people of how magical the world around them is.

I discovered Asheville while hiking the Appalachian trail, fell in love with the lush mountains, and decided to make it my home. While I still love being on a good trail and traveling to new places and ecosystems, I've really enjoyed getting to know one place on a deeper level. Local mountains, plants and animals factor more and more into my artwork as I absorb them through all seasons. The natural world provides endless inspiration, from sweeping landscapes to the smallest sprigs of moss. The complexity of life and the patterns and textures that arise from it fascinate me more than anything!