Exploring Shifting Landscapes
Exploring Shifting Landscapes addresses and documents current impacts of climate change on the landscapes of interior Alaska. It uses an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the relationship between people and place and to inform a broad audience about current environmental changes. Art broadens individual perspectives and communicates and forms connections in ways that words and charts cannot.
I investigate these themes by partnering with scientists to learn and share information about their work; following scientists into the field to observe their work, speaking with them about their research, and reading studies to form background knowledge of the locations I paint. Bright, dramatic colors vary from the naturalistic landscape palette, to illustrate and emphasize invisible chemistry, while enhancing the visual effect of the work. Abstract and representational combinations make the work accessible to varying aesthetic preferences.
This project was made possible by an URSA grant from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity grants are available to conduct student projects such as this one. I encourage all fellow students and art students specifically to apply! I am so grateful for this experience, and for all the help from my amazing mentor, scientists, painting professor, my painting peers, and the URSA office.
“Release and Revival” speaks to the cycle of wildfires in the boreal forest. Fires often result in increased biodiversity, and can benefit the ecosystem in different ways, such as increasing the amount of nutrients available to plants.
8 x 10 Acrylic on Canvas
"Poker Creek Field Study" 11" x 14" Framed Acrylic on Paper - Study number two was conducted onsite at Poker Creek while grad students collected water samples. Poker Creek runs along an area that is still recovering from a 2004 wildfire. Trees of different heights can be seen just to the left of this view, where the tall trees survived, and the shorter trees are newer growth following the fire. Wildfires influence stream chemistry as they alter carbon and nutrient cycles at a site.
"Remnants" 16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas - The fire in between Angel Rocks and Chena Hot Springs in 2021 burned through roughly half of the recreational trail between the two. Visiting the area a month later rendered an eerie landscape of blackened trees and ground for miles. White bones were also visible from the trail, contrasting dramatically with the darkness, and painting a somber mood. This piece illustrates the lack of color in burned landscapes, contrasted with an abstract background.
"Feedback Loop" 16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas - Permafrost thaw releases methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contribute to increased temperatures and more precipitation, which can accelerate permafrost thaw. With more precipitation comes more thunderstorms, sparking more wildfires.
"Feel The Pull" 11" x 14" Framed Acrylic on Paper - This color study was the first attempt at pulling paint across a surface using a scraping technique. The colorful strokes are pushed and pulled across the canvas or paper instead of directly painted on with a brush. This allows more movement in the medium and creates a more visually dynamic effect.
"Vault Creek Field Study" 11" x 14" Framed Acrylic on Paper - The first painting of the project was done on site at Vault Creek, following along with grad student Jacob and technician Karen, observing them collecting data and water samples from the creek. Data collected is being used to study the residual effects of permafrost thaw or wildfire on the boreal forest by looking at water chemistry. Permafrost thaw changes how water flows through an area, and how carbon and nutrients move, which changes the chemistry in streams.
"Extravasated" 8" x 10" Acrylic on Canvas - This grid is a piece I made to study the interaction of certain colors to decide which colors to use in the collection of works. I wanted to choose colors that are attention grabbing, represent a wide range of color, and establish visual harmony.
"Smith Lake Field Study" 11" x 14" Framed Acrylic on Paper - Smith Lake was a common landmark of my bike route to and from UAF this summer. This self-led field exploration resulted in a plein-air piece with attention to colors and shapes of the old trees and other plants. Smith Lake is a thermokarst lake which formed from thawing permafrost. Thawed carbon is decomposed by microbes in the sediment, creating methane.
"Deeper Elements" 11" x 14" Acrylic on Canvas - This piece was completed referencing the Ballaine Lake field study. Being on a busy thoroughfare, the lake is in a high-traffic area. People fish here, ski here, use trails nearby, a busy road runs adjacent to the lake. The abstract underlay shows through to reflect similar color in the lake and sky, pointing out the relationship between the two. I also chose to illustrate the raindrops in bright colors, in response to globally increasing rain toxicity due to contamination with “forever chemicals”.
"Yankovich Fire Study 01" 11" x 14" Framed Acrylic on Paper - One year ago, a section of the forest along the UAF trail system caught fire. Being so close to town, it was quickly put out. This year there are small rose shrubs and grasses returning to the site. The contrast between old growth and burn is very apparent in charred trees located directly next to healthy living trees.
"Imminence" 24" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas - While working on the field study of Poker Creek that inspired this piece, a huge thunderhead loomed toward us, and it eventually started raining. Seasonal temperature trends have been increasing, along with precipitation, leading to more frequent thunderstorms. The increase in thunderstorms leads to more lightning strikes, and more potential wildfires.
"Ballaine Lake Field Study" 11" x 14" Framed Acrylic on Paper - One common landmark near UAF is Ballaine Lake. This piece was completed onsite after bikejoring to the lake during a brief break in the rainy fall weather. The view looks south over the lake from the trail, and the weather didn’t quite hold, sprinkling as the piece was finished.
"Movement of Water" 5" x 7" Acrylic on Canvas - An illustration of the reflected chemistry and shared characteristics in water cycles and the atmosphere. This is the second painting of Ballaine Lake, using bright colors to dramatize the plants and characteristics of the area.
"Yankovich Field Study 02" 9" x 11" Framed Acrylic on Paper - View from the center of the burn site, looking at contrast between the burn and sky, and dynamic shapes of clouds compared to linear tree shapes.
"Casualties" 10" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas - A perspective looking upwards from the center of the Yankovich wildfire site. The burned trees contrast clearly with the clear blue sky. Wildfires contribute to the release of stored carbon from permafrost into the atmosphere, by burning the top insulating layer of the ground, resulting in accelerated thawing and release of carbon dioxide and methane.
"Calamitous" 24" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas - The water cycle inspired this piece, with permafrost releasing dissolved carbon and methane into catchments, and “forever chemicals” contaminating rainwater globally.
"Limited Palette Leaf Study" 9" x 11" Framed Acrylic on Paper - Study conducted with leaves outside the painting studio, with attention to color and light. This piece is another venture into working with a limited palette, and considering use of realistic versus dramatic colors.
"Yankovich Field Study 03" 9" x 11" Framed Acrylic on Paper - Related to the second Yankovich study, this piece is a conceptual draft illustrating invisible chemical elements in the air. Permafrost thaw releases methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which are feedback loops that increase temperatures, thunderstorms, and wildfires.
"Fragile Remains" 5" x 7" Acrylic on Canvas - Similar to the third Yankovich Field Study, this piece explored the concept behind these pieces on canvas, overlaying abstract features with representational ones.