Process

Process

My wildlife watercolor paintings and shadowboxes grew from the same impulse that sends me into Pennsylvania’s forests with binoculars in one hand and a sketchbook in the other: the urge to look closer. I am drawn to overlooked details—the textures of bark, the persistence of moss, and signs of life tucked into small spaces.

First, they begin with funny little paintings of my favorite Pennsylvania native wildlife. I use watercolor to bring their likeness and wonder to life. But the real magic comes together with a fragment of bark shed by the trees in my backyard. I carve a cavity into the bark to give each subject a cozy home, then surround it with aspects of their ecosystem, like acorns, pinecones, preserved moss, lichen, and finally adorn it with hand-sculpted fungi. These elements suggest a complete ecosystem—producers, consumer, and decomposer.

By working with found natural materials and studying the species that inhabit these environments, I aim to honor that stewardship. I paint what I observe, sculpt what I study, and frame it all in materials the forest provides—always mindful to take only what is appropriate and leave the landscape intact. My hope is that viewers leave with a heightened sense of curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the fragile, intricate systems preserved in places like Pennsylvania’s state parks. If these pieces encourage someone to look more closely—or to step onto a trail with new attention— then they have done their work.