M A P S Collection
I remember the first time I held the naturally woven fibers of palm tree bark—captivated by the geometry and quiet intelligence of the natural world. Plants and their lifecycles have always fascinated me. As a child growing up in Colorado, my favorite sensory experiences came from witnessing the transformation and decay of deciduous leaves in autumn, and crunching through the leaves. Today, my fascination has shifted to the vivid birth-to-death-to-birth cycles of the jungle in lower Puna, Hawai‘i.
During my morning jogs to the beach, I felt an irresistible pull to collect striking pieces of organic debris—nature’s cast-offs, rich with texture and story. In early 2022, my art practice reached a turning point. I began incorporating these found materials directly into my work. I let their shapes and textures guide me. I surrendered control, perfectionism, and overthinking. Instead, I allowed myself to feel, to observe and respond intuitively to the process. It was liberating. Each piece now carries the imprint of that moment, the memory of that experience.
Anatomy of Discovery (2022) |Sold|
Palm tree husk - latex paint - cheese cloth on canvas, 48 X 30 in
First, Second & Third Sojourn (2022)
Triptych, Palm tree husk - latex paint - cheese cloth on canvas, 60 x 24 in each
Dead Reckoning I (2022)
Palm tree husk - latex paint - palm tree bark - cheese cloth on canvas, 44 x 20 in
Dead Reckoning II (2022)
Palm tree husk - latex paint - cheese cloth on canvas, 20 x 44 in
Mauna Loa
Palm tree husk -molding paste - acrylic paint - ink on canvas, 48 x 36 × 4 in
Mauna Loa, a sacred active volcano on the Island of Hawai’i, erupted after 38 years of dormancy on November 27th, 2022, during the time I was creating this piece. The soft, violet-tinted background represents the hue of Mauna Loa in early dawn's light as seen from Chain of Crater’s Road in Volcanoes National Park. The palm tree husk material creates textures resembling a type of basaltic lava that forms in ropey or smooth undulating masses called Pahoehoe. Layered colors produce the illusion of dark rainbow iridescence of crystalized minerals. The thin hairlike fibers of the husk represent the strands of volcanic glass formed in vigorous lava fountains, known as Pele's Hair.
Down Where It's Wetter (2022)
Palm tree husk - cheese cloth - latex paint on canvas, 30 x 24 in