artist statement

My work holds in tension beauty and environmental degradation. I find ​inspiration for my contemporary prints from organic forms and natural landscapes, but I’m equally inspired by climate change data. My art is in reaction to the urgency of climate change, and the negative effects it has on human communities and natural ecosystems. For my process, I iterate on forms and vibrant colors directly from recent climate research; usually maps, visuals and narratives. I then layer this with organic imagery found in nature. By using colors and forms directly from the data, I attempt to creatively engage with it and share that with the viewer. 

 

This tension in my art– between beautiful natural forms and the distortions of them relating to the science and impact of climate change – is a powerful tool to impact a viewer. Climate change is one of the most urgent issues of our time, and the need for conservation, sustainability and climate action is dire. Working in collaboration with art and climate science is my personal contribution to the climate movement and response to calls for action. These creative, visual interpretations of science, data, and research have an opportunity to be educational materials for viewers, and reach large audiences beyond the scientific community.  

 

I primarily use linoleum, woodcut, and intaglio printmaking techniques. These different techniques, rooted in layering color and form, enhance the concepts of the work I print. By layering visual inspiration from the natural and scientific worlds, every printed layer has a purpose or can tell a different story.

 

My work has been heavily influenced by themes of water, including drought, water pollution, glacier retreat, or fluctuations in precipitation levels. I’m drawn to linework with a river-like flow, printed in colors that could express an element of toxicity or urgency. More recently, I’ve been exploring the larger impacts of climate change on an ecosystem level. This includes the increase of wildfires and smoke levels, species loss and shifts in migration patterns, and generally how interconnected climate impacts are. Additionally, I’ve been exploring the human narrative in my work; collective and personal, and how we’re experiencing climate impacts with increased frequency - a new normal.

 

My overall artistic philosophy is to capture a viewer with recognizable landscape qualities or organic forms, but impact them with the knowledge of the data the work was inspired by. Our warming climate and the inequities already experienced by these changes are incredibly discouraging. By creating colorful vibrancy and dynamic forms in my art, I strive to hold creative space for these issues, and hope to inspire deeper thought, empowerment, and action within the viewer.