7/ Redrawn Topographies

The vibrant colors and intricate details of the geometric bands in my work evoke the nuanced complexity of human development and culture over time, from ancient indigenous footpaths to superhighways. In this series, the underlayers begin with silkscreened facsimiles of 19th-century handwritten text (from the Montana Historical Society). These letterforms symbolize language and culture, and bits of black text peek through to the surface of finished paintings. On the uppermost layers, curvilinear drawn lines reference the migratory movement of animals such as elk, pronghorn, bison, and mule deer. Wild migration is to me a quasi-mystical phenomenon that inspires my work above all else.

In Redrawn Topographies, contrasting systems of mark making intersect randomly, at times conflicting with each other. Drawing and redrawing abstracted and imagined wildlife trails, I explore varieties of mark making and texture to indicate direction, dispersal, and regrouping. While creating these works, I envision how human development and natural forces might coexist in harmonious ecosystems. Restoring and maintaining habitat connectivity (via conservation easements, roadway crossings, and fence modifications) provides real hope that the visual patterns on the land might long continue to reveal a thriving, rhythmic flow of wildlife.