Rubus armeniacus series

In this series, I explore the chaos and structure of Rubus armeniacus (Botanical Latin for the non-indigenous blackberry bramble) which, over the last century has naturalized here in the Pacific Northwest. These paintings examine the physical complexity of the bramble themselves: the patterns, structure, chaos and seemingly random branching of the canes. This physical complexity is a metaphor for our own entanglement with self, others, and nature.

It is this space between being captivated and being captive that I find most intriguing. This state of being is reflected in the urban environments where the brambles grow, marking the intersection of humans and nature, thus thriving on the edges; along train tracks, alleyways, roadsides and vacant lots; cultivated and wild, ordered and chaos, mechanical, and conscious.