The forest is full of danger but only if you are looking for it. I had left my school building one day, walking off to the side by the woods in an attempt to hide my crying from onlookers. Though I felt alone, the last thing I wanted was for somebody to see me like this. I heard someone or something coming towards me through the bushes, but the eyes that met mine were not human. It was a mother deer standing in front of her doe, watching me with a soft and curious gaze. I stood still in their presence so as to not frighten them, and the mother bowed, allowing me to stay with them while they ate. 

The forest has become somewhere I know I am safe from people who have hurt me, and I can rebuild trust in others by interacting with and photographing the wildlife. When outside, I keep a safe distance from the animals and they need to trust me to get close enough to them. There are no ulterior motives on either end of the interactions which is another source of comfort during my process of healing from abuse. This body of work portrays the healing role that nature has had recently in my life. It mainly reflects on the wildlife I have encountered, but it is important to appreciate and respect the death that takes place for the ecosystem to continue. Talking about death can be uncomfortable but it is required to happen for other lives to continue. My audience is those who have an appreciation for nature, life, and death. I want them to think about how they are connecting with the natural world around them and what they like or dislike about it. Every creature big or small is a life of its own and it is a pleasure to learn about them without exchanging a single word. 

I use oil paint on canvas in order to achieve a loose and dream-like style, mix specific colors, and feel more physically involved with the pieces. I appreciate how it dries slowly and allows me to take breaks and think about how my subject matter is being represented. I utilize a larger scale in this body of work to confront the viewer and draw them in. The compositions themselves were designed to envelop the viewer, replicate the emotions I felt in these instances, and give a similar experience to the viewer especially with the large size.
  The paintings also explore the interactions with different animal species, as some are more curious than others. There is a focus on the presence of the animal regardless of the situation and it is up to the viewer to decide how they feel especially with a predator like the coyote or the remains of its meal.