Artist Statement: Not only does being out in nature allow your physical health to thrive, but it also allows the mind to feel more at ease. Nature will always be welcoming to its visitors, and it’s heartbreaking to think how much of it humans have destroyed. Edgelands are a part of every neighborhood, town, or city, and can be what brings nature to an area. I thought about the edgelands in my own town and realized I had never given them much of my attention. They were always something pretty to look at as I passed by, but I had never gone into and made myself a part of them.

I decided to disconnect for a bit and go on a walk through the fields and forests surrounding my neighborhood. It was cold, windy and snowing, but none of that mattered starring down this white, shinning field under a beautiful afternoon sky. I didn’t want to forget again how important nature was to my well-being, so I created a series of six paintings from some photographs I had taken. The pandemic has been a shock to the whole world, and I think everyone should experience connecting with nature during this time. Though it cannot heal everything, it might just make you feel a little bit better and to have hope for the future.