A Symbiotic Relationship is a body of work that I am continuously working on that revolves around a complex symbolic relationship between humans and nature. Whether its paintings, mixed media, sculptures, performance, or drawings, these pieces explore abstract and literal connections between humans and nature.
Representations of these connections in this body of work includes pairing of human made and natural objects in a sculptural piece or more metaphorical concepts such as the painting triptych A Symbiotic Relationship, which invites us to examine the early phases of building a relationship whether its Testing the Waters to see if you and another can jive, trimming an overgrown hedge that we’ve grown around our hearts To Be Vulnerable with another, and being able to healthily maintain our own boundaries in Growing Together.
Having roots in Art Therapy, I reflect on a lot of my own life experiences and connection with nature in my work. Expressing myself through means of creation is important to the processing of complex emotions and life experiences.
As I navigate life, field research, and learn more about ecology, I see so many parts of myself, and my life reflected in the nature that surrounds me which inspires a lot of my work. Taking this reflection into consideration, I juxtapose the mundane everyday objects that are typically overlooked in natural and industrial landscapes.
