Lately, in these strange and exhausting days, Ive been thinking a lot about uncertainty. In my recent paintings, that uncertainty and the idea of feeling or being lost is a focus for me. A profound lostness which could be the unsettling experience of finding yourself in a world turning alien around you, or more optimistically, a lostness that could lead to a hopeful escape to a new world. These paintings show a desire to escape into nature, which unfortunately seems to be on shakier ground than ever with the threat of the changing climate. Though I hope for the best, my paintings frequently express my anxiety for society and our world. This particular painting, Kiitos (Finnish for “thank you”) was done after a stay at the beautiful rural artist residency Arteles in Haukijrvi, Finland. It’s a little love poem to the gorgeous birch trees and the happiness I found there during a period of profound lostness and overwhelm.