Artist Statement

There is a great wisdom in the ancient ecosystem we call forest. The planet nurtures us with these, and yet we have decimated a massive swath of them, removing most of the life giving places. I have painted the forest series as a silent vigil to the sacred majesty of the abundant life found in my favourite west coast forest. My strength and joy are replenished here. I paint with egg tempera on cotton on board, because this is an ancient tradition. Also, the dried pigments are all sourced from nature. It is a non invasive medium, which is an important link with the message of my work. “The old-growth forest is as stunning in its elegance of function as in its beauty. Under conditions of scarcity, there can be no frenzy of uncontrolled growth or waste of resources. The “green architecture” of the forest structure itself is a model of efficiency, with layers of foliage in a multilayered canopy that optimizes capture of solar energy. If we are looking for models of self-sustaining communities, we need look no further than an old-growth forest” - “Braiding Sweetgrass”, Robin Wall Kimmerer.
I hope that by spending time with my images, others will be inspired to connect deeply with their forest landscapes. And I hope that by deeply connecting, we can turn the tide of wanton planetary forest destruction.