Artist Statement

The question that guided my sustained investigation was how being in nature affects one’s mental health. With my investigation, I really wanted to explore the relationships between people and themselves in addition to the relationship between people and landscapes. I wanted my work to convey the idea that one can feel liberated and free to be their most authentic and true self when they are immersed in nature. The process I chose to work with was photographic printmaking, and this year I have experimented with lots of different mediums such as etchings, linoleums, monotypes, colored pencils, screen prints, and linoleums. Also, this year my sustained investigation has been altered, and now focuses more on the idea of being alone in nature.

There are many works that have helped guide me and have influenced my investigation. A few years ago, I did a monoprint of a man I saw outside my café, and I fell in love with the monotype process, and I chose to do a few monotype prints this year. Also, at the beginning of this year, I did my work titled “Ripples” which was a linoleum print. I loved the way I was able to portray the waves in the water, and I liked how even though the girl is a silhouette, the viewer can still grasp the idea of her feeling liberated and free when immersed in the water.