As a Minnesotan, I was raised with simple but consistent values of stewardship. Those early lessons of conservation formed the foundation of my current art practice as I paint with honorably-harvested local water and sediment. My process requires immersion into our natural environment, which is scientifically proven to heal the body and mind. My paintings are an extension of this healing, reconnecting us to water. I paint to reclaim our profound and ancient relationship with the earth, which we have forgotten but has always remained.

Inspired by the teaching of the Honorable Harvest as recorded by Professor Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, I respectfully collect river water and damp sediment. Back in my studio, I pour these materials with acrylic paint over a flat canvas to emulate the natural erosion and flow of the environment. I brush thin layers of colors over the dried texture to express organic landscapes, water patterns and surface reflections. Fully saturated with elements of the river itself, my art embodies its materiality, its story and its spirit.

Waterlines showcases paintings with water and sediment from various Midwest shorelines, primarily focused on the Mississippi River. These paintings emphasize that we are not separate from water, it is our lifeline.