Look on almost any tree stump, the bark of a tree, a stone wall, and you’ll notice the most remarkable colors, shapes, and forms. I’m captured by lichen, fungus, and moss.  I’m inspired by their blues, greens, oranges and shades endless shades of brown. I’m fascinated by their shapes and how many varieties can exist together.  Lichen can thrive in the most extreme environments, like on rocks and volcanic stone and desert sand.  The lichen then serves as a ground on which seeds can land and take root.  This is the ground for great diversity of life.  

 

Many of us have experienced harsh climates in our souls, and have come to know loss and devastation.  In the way a volcano can suddenly burn up everything in its path, leaving a hard, lifeless exterior, certain events can have that effect on us as well.  For this portrait series, I’m interested in the way our stories mirror the story of creation.  I’m drawn to the redemptive quality of lichen…how new and unexpected life can grow from devastation and barrenness.  How new life can come from seemingly uninhabitable spaces.  I’m interested in portraying the human figure and lichen together, and through this pairing, tell a story.  

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