You know how some people just need certain things to feel grounded? For me, it’s always been water and trees. Growing up, I spent so much time near lakes, rivers, and of course, Yosemite and Tahoe. Those trips were everything—being surrounded by these massive trees and the calm of water just made me feel so at peace. It wasn’t until I started moving around for my day job that I realized just how much I need to live near water and nature. 🏞️ Without them, something always feels off.
When I’ve lived in places without that connection—like a desert or somewhere with no water—I feel disconnected from myself. I need that constant reminder of nature’s flow and energy. 🌊 It’s funny because, for years, I didn’t even connect the dots that water and nature were showing up in my art. But once I moved around more, I finally realized how deeply it was ingrained in me.
I think what I love most about nature is how perfectly it mirrors our lives. The storms, the sunsets, the growth, the conflicts—it’s all so relatable. ⛈️ No matter what’s going on, there’s always a calm after the storm, a sunset that brings closure, and new growth that comes from all the chaos. And that’s what I try to capture in my art. I paint those moments, but always with a focus on the positive—like the sun breaking through after a storm or the stillness of water after a windy day.
So much of what I do is about translating those experiences into something others can feel too. I want my paintings to bring a sense of calm and hope—something people can connect with when they need a break from all the noise in life. ✨ Nature does that for me, and I hope my art can do that for others. 🎨
Do you have places that ground you like that? Or things in nature that always bring you back to center?