It is
claimed that in order to achieve balance within life we must “become
one with nature” due to nature's restorative qualities. However, in
my experience, nature claims my own sanity, making me question what
is real and what is imagined, bringing me to a frantic, anxious and
manic state of mind. The wilderness leaves me to feel vulnerable, and
in conjunction with the darkness of night, this brings a new level of
fear. I feel as though I have become only a speck within the
immersive and densely populated woods that consume me, and my fear
paralyzes me.
This psychological view of nature is what drives my creative process, allowing me to recall these emotions and create a space of my own based on my experiences within the environment. Through the use of materials like charcoal, chalk pastels, and soot, I build my image layering these different mediums, then return to remove areas by erasing the surface and excavating the image. The seductive use of materials and mark making allow each drawing to read as both celestial and earthbound; a captivating dichotomy of environmental exploration. My intent is to allow the mind to lose control and confront the chaos; to let the eye wander as it crosses through the lyrical lines that dance around the paper as they lure the viewer into the depths of the mysterious darkness provoking the individual to become lost within themselves.
This psychological view of nature is what drives my creative process, allowing me to recall these emotions and create a space of my own based on my experiences within the environment. Through the use of materials like charcoal, chalk pastels, and soot, I build my image layering these different mediums, then return to remove areas by erasing the surface and excavating the image. The seductive use of materials and mark making allow each drawing to read as both celestial and earthbound; a captivating dichotomy of environmental exploration. My intent is to allow the mind to lose control and confront the chaos; to let the eye wander as it crosses through the lyrical lines that dance around the paper as they lure the viewer into the depths of the mysterious darkness provoking the individual to become lost within themselves.