At Your Feet: A Micro-topographical Record
The inspiration for this body of work comes from observing minerals deposited by the runoff from Palette Spring – part of Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park - a wonderland rich with amazing sights to explore and drive my imagination.
As the first explorers of this region recorded their discoveries with maps and journals, my artwork is also a record - but on a much smaller landscape. I have named these records micro-topographies. Over the years I have been keeping notes and photographing the constantly changing formations left by the flowing, mineral rich water from Palette Spring. Sometimes the patterns remind me of topographic maps. I am fascinated with the tiny details, layers, abstract patterns and shapes that appear along with the effects of weathering and erosion.
Just as the spring consists of many layers, this artwork is constructed with many layers of acrylic paint, gouache, ink and thin sheets of Japanese paper. Through this process I mimic nature by building multiple layers and create weathering or erosion by rubbing areas with sandpaper. The process creates a history within the work and adds to the illusion of visual depth, or a three dimensional effect.
The work is a visual chronicle revealing what is seen through my artist eyes and imagination. Although the images are specific in subject and detail, they are open to interpretation shaped by experience and memory. It is important that I allow the viewers to make their own personal meaning and vision of what they see. Connecting with the natural world is an amazing adventure exploring the beauty and wonders of the world.