Geographical Lore, salt mountain

Geographical Lore is a series of photographic works considering how the natural world can be represented. The images are from documented landscapes where I have traveled across the United States. Specifically in California, Nevada, New Mexico, and most recently Oregon, Washington, and along the east coast, I focus on forests, mountain ranges, the desert, waterways, and coastlines. As I photograph on location, I’m looking for unique ecological features within natural spaces, for instance, old-growth forests that maintain biodiversity, second-growth forests regenerated after wildfires, or other disturbances and the effects of forest canopy openings. As well as particular coastlines, where entire ecospheres are submerged and exposed depending on the time of day due to tidal activity. Creating work with these images as photographic source material in the studio environment is significant as suggestive evidence of environmental impact caused by human intervention and natural occurrences. The work consists of printed material, artist books, sculptural elements, and installations that incorporate these examples and reflect the exploration of geography through research and practice by investigating how the natural world functions, on protected lands, in reserves, and wilderness areas; the work shows the ever-changing diverse geography within and between biospheres. My curiosity and fascination with astrological, lunar, and celestial studies is a recurring theme in this series as it relates to the natural elements of matter; earth, water, fire, and air, all of which are a consideration in my creative process and decision making in the studio environment.