Essence of Process

Artist Statement

The canvas begins young and unmarked. In order to grow and mature, it must accumulate a history. This history is deeply personal to my practice, formed through mark making and the layering of materials. These processes have become a visual language—one that allows me to record, interpret, and physically process my experiences in nature.

The canvas functions as a site of communication, where each layer contributes to a growing sense of depth and memory. The more material that is added, the stronger the historical presence becomes—mirroring the way history is recorded in both nature and humanity. Nature reveals its story through subtle processes: water erodes sediment from cliffs only to preserve it in new forms, and trees quietly record their lifespans within rings hidden beneath textured bark. This history is present but not immediately visible; it requires time, attention, and patience to uncover.

What initially draws us to nature is its vitality—the rush of wind, the texture of evergreen needles, the rhythm of crashing waves. Yet beneath this immediacy lies a layered narrative shaped by time and transformation. This layered storytelling parallels humanity’s relationship with language. Early communication relied on imagery before evolving into written language, allowing for the recording of experience, history, and culture. Though languages continue to change, they remain connected through shared origins and structures.

In my large-scale mixed media works, I explore this intersection of process, memory, and evolution. Through accumulated layers and material histories, each piece develops its own sense of time and depth, inviting viewers to experience not only the surface but the embedded narrative within. These works exist as experiential landscapes—records of process that echo the quiet, enduring histories found in nature itself.