Mystical and enchanting, Hesse’s figures emerge from darkbackdrops as they confront the viewer with their benevolentgaze and stoic presence. Each figure represents a feeling ofpeace and connection to nature, which is meant to draw theviewer into a realm that is free of chaos and open to infinitepossibilities. “These images represent guardian angels of nature - and of us,”says Hesse of her portraits. “Serene, bewitching, powerful anddelicate, they pull the viewer in to where we all should dwell - inbenevolence with nature and humankind.” Hesse’s current style of portraiture began seven years agowhen powerful faces began to emerge through her dreams,arriving vividly from the darkness as non-threatening strangers.Inspired to paint these mysterious images, Hesse begantranslating these figures onto canvas in the same way theycame to her - from the black. Her distinguished ‘Spirit People’,as they came to be called, are painted against a solid blackbackground, which also symbolizes the serene space of deepmeditation. Each portrait has an inherent connection to nature,whether it’s through anthropomorphic qualities or a featheredcompanion. According to the artist, this element is symbolic ofthe quietness and peaceful state we must achieve in order totruly commune with nature. “They are fixed minutes of simplicity,” says Hesse of herpaintings. “It’s as undemanding as that.”Hesse is a self-taught painter who grew up in the artisticcommunity of Taos, New Mexico. She now lives and paints inMexico.