Through my art I hope to convey the essence of humanity's relationship with nature and how both end up impacting the other through the varying aspects of imagery that signify the duality of their influences. Within my pieces I have explored the varying emotions that come from our relationship with art and how that is able to be developed through both the representation of nature and the depiction of varying subjects related to humanity’s involvement. In doing so my work encompasses the depiction of varying emotions in relation to our experiences with nature.

 

In presenting my work my aim was to have the works act as a transition into three sets of emotions that result from the various aspects of nature's impact. To do this I grouped the works by the emotions that they evoked and represented then ordered them according to how the emotions blended together in some works. The three emotions depicted throughout my pieces are the feelings of loss, isolation, and nostalgia which comes from our own connection with nature and how that has unfolded in recent years. Throughout the expanse of the exhibition are subtle transitions between the different emotions in the changing of imagery depicted. 

 

Starting the exhibition with the piece “Lone on Hill” introduces the idea of isolation with the use of scale. By beginning the exhibition with this piece the idea of an expansive world and nature is what the viewer is introduced to, thus establishing a sense of reality within their own placement in this vast world. This immerses the viewer into the vast scenery while also emphasizing the scale of the piece in highlighting and introducing the feeling of isolation in realizing how small we are in comparison. With this being the first piece of my exhibition it serves as a segue in understanding the vastness of nature and how we relate in comparison, despite the loneliness that may bring.

 

However, as we get into pieces like “Loss Ablaze” the mood shifts with the imagery of the pieces, segueing into feelings of loss, introducing the idea of destruction. This is where my art takes an activist role in addressing the various issues pertaining to how humanity has polluted and destroyed nature, thus serving as a source of loss. In placing it as the fourth piece and being the first artwork with primarily warm values it serves as an intensive transition into recognizing our role in nature's destruction. While placing it there was also the connection to “Spill into the Other Side” to which both contain the subject reaching out and thus created a key recurring imagery to which added to the transition into such an intense piece. 

 

In moving towards the end of the exhibition my art moved towards one of nostalgia with works like “Barrier” and “Memory on the Hill” which highlighted a longing for a return to normalcy. With “Memory on the Hill” and “Bird’s Memory” they are both drawn through imagination to capture the essence of the idea of memory and the significance of the scene. In placing this section I decided on putting it at the end of the exhibition to end it on a feeling of longing and remembrance of the beauty of nature. In doing so it highlights an appreciation for its form and influence. 

 

In placing “Deep Dive” there was a bit of trouble in figuring where it fit within my categories of emotions. However, in the end I chose to have it grouped with the beginning in its subtle hints of isolation in the slight stillness of the ocean and the center focus on the turtle. It was also placed towards the beginning to give more of an impact to “Plastic Fragments” in that it also depicts a turtle but shifts to a message of danger in the still waters.

 

My aim is for viewers to make the transition for themselves and truly delve into the many aspects of our relationship to nature and how that impacts us on an emotional level. The exhibition mainly depicts nature in a calming sense with the use of cooler colors but uses intenser, warmer colors in depicting the many dangers we pose on nature itself. Through my depiction of these concepts I aim to make the statement that humanity’s relation to nature is that of an important one as we long for its vitality and our own presence within it, while still acknowledging the role humanity plays in its destruction.