When I look at rocks, I imagine the eons of geologic movement that created them. It is a huge expanse of time that dwarfs our tiny existence. To lovingly study rocks connects me to the natural world in its immensity, but also in its particulars. It brings life into perspective. It places humanity into a larger, epochal scale of time, one we must consider more as we face the consequences of our impact on the global climate.
I think of my painting process as geology in fast-forward. I build up layers, scraping texture back, allowing my materials to express their unique physical properties. I enjoy the endlessly alluring play of paint that creates unexpected and powerful moments.
New Work: Capulin Volcano Series
I met these rocks on the rim of Capulin Volcano. Capulin is both old and young: It formed before humans migrated to North America, far outside our typical perception of time; yet it is an infant on the geologic scale. The volcano formed startlingly quickly, perhaps in a matter of weeks, and this frenzied creative energy is evident in the rocks. The formations appear to flow and boil even though they have stood still for longer than we have been able to witness. In this stillness lichens grow and break down the rock in infinitesimal increments, making fertile soil.
Snow Lake Trail Series and Earlier Work
Most of these are portraits of rocks I encountered on the trail to Snow Lake, the most visited lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The views from the trail are well known and abundant on social media. Instead of that traditional grand vista, these paintings offer intimate portraits of small moments that are easily overlooked.
In 2022 the deteriorating effects of so many feet prompted the trail's closure to remediate the damage and serve the needs of an increasing number of visitors. Explosives were used to redefine the trail and some of these rocks have been destroyed; an inevitable process that has now been accelerated to a human timescale rather than a geologic one.
