"My work focuses on relaying the voice of the landscape. I strive to create imagery that moves the viewer to re-establish their ancient connection with nature and the earth. My inspiration comes from my relationship and experiences with nature and my desire to share how I perceive the essence of the natural world. At a very early age, I felt a spiritual connection with the ways of the landscape. As a child I would go to nature to seek comfort and solitude there was a ‘spiritual connection’ there. Having reverence for nature was my first step toward a sense of spiritual connection with the life-giving force of this universe. Interacting with the natural landscape and the process of creating this work has helped me to discover this ‘Aha’ moment to become aware that the will to live and the consciousness of life is one in all of us, in all aspects of the natural world. I was educated as a fine artist in traditional media for painting and drawing later when working as a graphic designer and illustrator I became involved with digital media. Some of my current work is created with both traditional and digital media. I label these pieces “mixed media” and list the media in the order of its use in the creation of the artwork. Most often traditional media is used in 90% to 95% of the artwork’s creation." ABOUTLinda Rzoska is an artist and teacher. She was educated as a fine artist using traditional media for painting and drawing, later working as a graphic designer and illustrator, she became involved in digital media. She joined the faculty at Kalamazoo Valley Community College in 2000 as a founding member of KVCC's academic unit the Center for New Media teaching design and illustration classes. In April 2016 she was granted the title of Professor Emeritus. Rzoska continued with her fine art career while teaching. Her work is inspired by her interest and research in nature, folklore, mythology, and comparative religion. Before joining KVCC she worked in the corporate/private sector as a graphic designer and illustrator. Rzoska has received a number of awards for her illustration and fine art; notable are two International Awards of Excellence from the Society of Technical Communications, Best of Show in the 2016 Carnegie Center for the Arts Juried Regional Fine Arts Competition, and Second Place in the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 2016 West Michigan Area Show. Rzoska's artwork has been selected for numerous juried shows and is represented in many private collections. A few of her most prominent solo exhibitions were in It Skildershuis Atelier in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, The Burren College of Art, Ireland, and Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The imagery in Linda Rzoska’s artwork is meant to represent a sense of life with no limitations of space and time, a sharing of spirit, mind, and heart, spiritual recognition and belonging, a joining in an ancient and eternal way. Her current work is inspired by her interest in nature, folklore, mythology, and comparative religions. An attempt to visually communicate this spirit or soul of a place that has been witnessed along with the human collective relationship with the landscape.