Natural Connections
Location
FA-255
Start Date
1-5-2026 9:40 AM
Department
Art + Design
Abstract
My work reflects on the fragile coexistence between humanity and nature, inviting viewers to consider both its beauty and the responsibility we hold in protecting it. This body of work serves as a call to action to address these issues of neglect to upkeep the natural world, which could create a domino effect that will strike back at humanity later on. It’s been made worse in recent years with the mass media tending to overshadow the positives due to the negatives having more urgency, thus it desensitizes our reactions when repeatedly shown and treats it as “typical news”. Without nature, I would feel lost in the human controlled world with finding a purpose in life, and without natural resources, society could collapse as well. Ultimately, this project creates a beacon of hope for humanity to step up to protect nature as we are its only advocates, yet it also serves as a warning for continued neglect. Both sides of the story represented will present viewers with an inviting paradise of the surrounding world for my viewers, yet showcase the dangers of neglecting nature and the consequences we must face for doing so. This project expresses the endless cycle of natural restoration and neglect in realistic and fantastical scenes to blend humanity’s ideals of nature with the ugly truth it has created. Colored pencils are primarily used in my practice as color originates from nature, along with providing me greater control compared to other mediums. They also allow me to incorporate a variety of mark making skills to create realistic textures found in nature to better inform my work, including experimenting with different mediums, such as acrylic markers and collage elements. My depiction of humanity and their actions in my work symbolizes them as a major device of change in nature in both directions; they are both a bringer of doom and peace which are witnessed in the scenes. This body of work has helped me further investigate my surroundings in its purest form, allowing my work to inform viewers to play their part and “break” this endless cycle before it’s too late.
Faculty Sponsor
Nate Mathews
Natural Connections
FA-255
My work reflects on the fragile coexistence between humanity and nature, inviting viewers to consider both its beauty and the responsibility we hold in protecting it. This body of work serves as a call to action to address these issues of neglect to upkeep the natural world, which could create a domino effect that will strike back at humanity later on. It’s been made worse in recent years with the mass media tending to overshadow the positives due to the negatives having more urgency, thus it desensitizes our reactions when repeatedly shown and treats it as “typical news”. Without nature, I would feel lost in the human controlled world with finding a purpose in life, and without natural resources, society could collapse as well. Ultimately, this project creates a beacon of hope for humanity to step up to protect nature as we are its only advocates, yet it also serves as a warning for continued neglect. Both sides of the story represented will present viewers with an inviting paradise of the surrounding world for my viewers, yet showcase the dangers of neglecting nature and the consequences we must face for doing so. This project expresses the endless cycle of natural restoration and neglect in realistic and fantastical scenes to blend humanity’s ideals of nature with the ugly truth it has created. Colored pencils are primarily used in my practice as color originates from nature, along with providing me greater control compared to other mediums. They also allow me to incorporate a variety of mark making skills to create realistic textures found in nature to better inform my work, including experimenting with different mediums, such as acrylic markers and collage elements. My depiction of humanity and their actions in my work symbolizes them as a major device of change in nature in both directions; they are both a bringer of doom and peace which are witnessed in the scenes. This body of work has helped me further investigate my surroundings in its purest form, allowing my work to inform viewers to play their part and “break” this endless cycle before it’s too late.