“The West is a landscape that has to be seen to be believed… and believed in order to be seen.” – N. Scott Momaday, Native American Poet My paintings represent places where the wilderness takes over, where land and sky overpower civilization. As the air gets thinner everything gets simpler – I climb higher, the view takes over, leaving the forest and obstacles below.The commitment to reach the mountain peak parallels with the commitment to finish a painting. I start by walking a path that many have surveyed before, study the history, past stories and topography so that when I venture out I have a general sense of direction. The environment often overpowers my agenda, which is when the real adventure starts. I am transported to a dimension of being extraordinarily present, absorbed and inundated by an environment that is larger than life. There is no emergency brake, rewind button or do-overs along the journey, just lessons I put in my pocket to refer to as I create my own story. Growing up at 8,000 feet has shaped who I am as a person – watching cloud and weather patterns with my dad or getting locked outside in the summer with my sisters – I am lucky to call the mountains home. My paintings serve as a reminder to look up, appreciate your surroundings, and enjoy subtle moments that make you feel present.