The fallen scraps of tree bark I photograph are delicate and brittle.  Each fragment is a unique and intricate map of the tree's life - the patterns, textures and irregularities evidence of the impact of time, weather, insects, and climate change.  I use photographic techniques to suggest the passage of time, emphasize abstract form, and extend the changes initiated by environmental forces.  Thus, a small fragment of decaying bark becomes expansive, monumental, and powerful.  It's worm holes and lichen become crevasses, constellations or vortexes.  This work expresses the transformative power of nature and the delicate balance between fragility and resilience, serving as a testament to life, death and regeneration.

Inspired by Anna Atkins' botanical prints from 1843, my cyanotype technique diverges from traditional uses in significant ways. I choose the imperfect over the ideal specimen, photographing the bark to emphasize three-dimensional form, volume, and detail, rather than pressing material flat to produce a photogram. I intentionally move subject matter during long exposures to create motion blur, expressing the passage of time and impermanence. By combining sharp and blurred elements into a composite image, I aim to express the precarious balance between opposing states of existence and the pursuit of equilibrium. I create these images to reckon with transience and loss, recognizing and accepting the fear and allure of transformation.