nature is-

An Abstract Painting Collection that captures nature’s wild beauty with nature itself.

As I am picking up each blueberry, I am reminded of the precious beauty around us.

I close my eyes to take it all in. It’s the sweet smell of berries, the melodic sounds of birds, the soft summer breeze that will linger on my mind for months to come.

I feel free. I belong.

nature is -

An Abstract Painting Collection that is created entirely with nature. Each painting uses foraged berries, natural earth pigments and reused food material that has been crafted into artistic ink/paint for capturing nature in its truest essence.

The beauty of these pieces is the material itself. As each handcrafted color of nature moves and meets another, a new moment is created that feels free and organic. As I am letting nature dictate the course of each painting, I am guided to practice patience, embracing quiet moments and intuitively trusting the process.

My deepest hope is you find connection to these abstract paintings. Each piece is named based on answers I received earlier this year when asking “What does Nature mean to you?”. Your words inspired this collection. Thank you and I am forever grateful for a community that cultivates such an appreciation for the natural world. As you are reading the painting titles, I would love for you to imagine what memories come to your mind first and how the painting composition correlates to those warm feelings.

As we connect to nature, we are more connected to ourselves. We are rooted in the place that we belong.

It’s that wild, imperfect beauty that keeps us wanting more.

collection insights -

Inspiration: Exploring new places, breathing it all in, barefoot berry picking, berry stained fingers, nature’s sounds, sweet memories outdoors with your loved ones, laughing until your eyes are teary, morning routines, warmth from sunsets, finding your purpose.

Process: Most of the painting materials were foraged in Alaska and hand crafted in my kitchen, and all are handmade in the most pure and natural way.

Natural Inks - after berries/plant material is cleaned and dried it goes into the boiling pot. Then the process of color extraction begins (most cooking time varies between 1 hour to 4 days), the mixture gets strained and a natural binder/preservative is added. Experimentation and color development of this color palette began early 2019.

All color combinations include these handmade natural inks:
- foraged Alaskan blueberries (Hatcher Pass + Powerline Pass areas)
- foraged Alaskan raspberries (my back yard)
- cherry ink
- avocado stone ink
- hibiscus tea ink
- walnut ink
- rose petal ink

Natural Earth Pigments - derived from the earth, made into powder form and mixed with either a water based binder or oil binder. Experimentation and color development of this color palette began early 2019.

All paintings include a combination of handmade inks and earth pigments.

Painting Development: I was dedicated to learning the process for both handmade inks and earth pigment paints until the work felt intentional, cohesive and validated all natural elements. This stage took the longest because my previous painting style includes many layers in order to achieve a good balance in abstraction. With this process, I had to learn an entirely new painting process in which the paint material itself would dictate the course of the painting. I had to learn to let go of some artistic control and truly let the materials speak for themselves.

Framing: Each stretched canvas is framed in a beautiful maple floating frame making it the perfect compliment to highlight nature’s beauty.

My Passion: Earlier this year, I made it my goal to create art in the most natural and sustainable way possible. Through many endless days researching, experimenting, failing and showing up again - I am beyond proud to present the “Nature Is” Abstract Painting collection to you. The textures, colors, movements of each of these pieces have so much depth and feeling. The way the colors worked together to become one leaves me truly speechless. I hope that each piece that you decide to invest in becomes part of your home, your daily routines, grows with you and reminds you on the precious beauty around us.