It Started In Tettegouche

It Started in Tettegouche began in Tettegouche State Park in Northern Minnesota.

I am drawn to the details that Mother Nature offers…

such as the texture and linear qualities of the pine needles, the movement and fluidity of the crashing of the waves against the jagged shore, and the sound of the crunch of the branches beneath my feet. These are the moments that intrigue me and are translated into my work.

Along with being influenced by natural elements of water, trees, flowers, and rocks, I am highly influenced by the materialities that I use to create my works - such as acrylic paint, charcoal, charcoal powder, oil pastels, chalk pastels, crayons, sharpie markers, or watercolors. I enjoy observing how the materials within a piece interact and behave with one another. Through these interactions, I am able to create unique moments among the materials, whether through line quality, fluidity, layering, or mark making. 

It Started In Tettegouche consists of both inspiration from Mother Nature and my artistic process and style of abstraction. For each piece of this series, I begin with a watercolor painting done on a plastic printmaking plate. I then transfer this image on to a piece of paper by running the plate through a printmaking press. This results in a monotype print. Often times, these monotypes provide depth and intrigue by themselves; if they can be pushed further, then I use various materials to overlay the print and complete the piece. The final images are abstract, process - based pieces inspired by Tettegouche State Park.