As an artist and a hobby naturalist, I draw inspiration from what I witness first-hand during hikes through the woods. I’m particularly interested in mycology and native plants of the Midwest. Things are living, thriving, feasting, fighting, dying, and decomposing. Even the most tranquil environment is overflowing with activity. However, many people only see an indistinct backdrop of greenery, a tendency known as plant awareness disparity. It takes something special to make us stop and have a closer look. A flash of color or a seemingly unnatural texture can suddenly grab our attention. We start to wonder. What is this, why is it growing like that, are there other things like this? Have I unknowingly walked past this before? Almost certainly, yes.
In my paintings and drawings, I like to exaggerate the distinct features that caught my own curiosity. I have amplified the intoxicating patterns of turkey tail mushrooms. I have outlined the fleshy clumps of leaf litter found in the awkward wet season at the end of Iowa winter. I have emphasized the bright pop of lichen engulfing a rotting log . I invite the viewer to observe these botanical curiosities, consider what may be transpiring in familiar ecosystems, and connect with the organic world around us.