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EUCALYPTUS is the fifth painting in the Mother Earth series about the strength and vulnerability of nature and humanity. The female figure symbolizes the spirit of Mother Earth and the symbolism of the natural objects pertain to the state of our environment. The black and white birds represent the duality and balance in nature and in ourselves as consumers and stewards of the Earth. The covering of her eyes and mouth are both the gagging and blooming of her creative energy. I chose eucalyptus leaves wrapping around her arms because eucalyptus is known for its healing and purifying properties as we continue the struggle to heal the wounds of the Earth, we as humans have created.

I have always been drawn to the mystery and beauty of wild spaces, where nature has taken over. I am also intrigued by the untamed spaces within ourselves; our restlessness, our obsessiveness, the messiness of being human and our relationship and identity with nature. I’m curious about the many paradoxes within nature and within ourselves. Our strengths and vulnerabilities. Our joys and sorrows. Our goodness and our cruelty. That curiosity and wonder drive my art. I’m constantly playing with images in my mind; landscapes, tree branches, insects, algae, flowers, moss, water, fire, and the human form. When I’m creating my art, I’m exploring ideas and feelings and leaving questions hanging in the air. I combine nature and the human...