Muir Woods
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
– John Muir
"Among the scenes which are deeply impressed on my mind, none exceed in sublimity the primeval forests undefaced by the hand of humans...no one can stand in these solitudes unmoved, and not feel there is more in humans than the mere breath of his body."
– Charles Darwin
As an avid reader and writer inspired by fantasy novels such as the works of Tolkien, I’ve always been drawn to the mystical and symbolic nature of forests. This series began after a visit to Muir Woods, where I was struck by the light shining down through the canopy, and the dreamlike feeling of being surrounded by the coastal redwoods. To step into that forest was to experience the sublime, and my paintings are a tribute to this ancient place.
In these works I am also interested in how color can recreate the feeling of not only being surrounded by the woods, but also how it can draw attention to places that may often be overlooked. As a native of New England, I’m especially fascinated by the quality of color and light only experienced on the West Coast, and how the trees themselves wear so many shifting hues, depending on the light. I use color deliberately to emphasize not only the beauty of the landscape, but also the beauty in forgotten things, such as fallen trees and moss covered stumps. These moments remind me of the interconnectedness of the forest, and the way that new life grows out of the old.
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
– John Muir
"Among the scenes which are deeply impressed on my mind, none exceed in sublimity the primeval forests undefaced by the hand of humans...no one can stand in these solitudes unmoved, and not feel there is more in humans than the mere breath of his body."
– Charles Darwin
As an avid reader and writer inspired by fantasy novels such as the works of Tolkien, I’ve always been drawn to the mystical and symbolic nature of forests. This series began after a visit to Muir Woods, where I was struck by the light shining down through the canopy, and the dreamlike feeling of being surrounded by the coastal redwoods. To step into that forest was to experience the sublime, and my paintings are a tribute to this ancient place.
In these works I am also interested in how color can recreate the feeling of not only being surrounded by the woods, but also how it can draw attention to places that may often be overlooked. As a native of New England, I’m especially fascinated by the quality of color and light only experienced on the West Coast, and how the trees themselves wear so many shifting hues, depending on the light. I use color deliberately to emphasize not only the beauty of the landscape, but also the beauty in forgotten things, such as fallen trees and moss covered stumps. These moments remind me of the interconnectedness of the forest, and the way that new life grows out of the old.
