The Gathering: An interactive exhibition of nature centered poetry and photography

About the work

This collection of work, "The Gathering," (displayed May 7-31, 2023, at the Midway Artist Studios) highlights several years of a continuous healing journey that started with journaling, running, traveling, and writing poetry. It's inspired by my time in nature or ecotherapy, the practice of being in nature to boost growth and healing, especially mental health.

In nature, growth is visually evident. Trees grow taller, and plants, leaning toward the sun, typically show new foliage that's brighter in color or shinier than its existing leaves. For people, though, internal evolution doesn't always put on an exterior show. And sometimes, it's so slow and subtle that the changes might not be noticeable at first. This offering highlights where I've been and who I am now on this voyage of lifelong growth.

In addition to my poetic and photographic work, I put out a call for stories to learn how nature has helped heal others. Some of the works of the poets who answered the call, Marie F. Celestin, Emily Li, and Shelley Polanco were also on display.  “The Gathering” is the first of a multi-phase project delving into nature’s healing power. This work was displayed as part of “Sad and…” a collection of work by the 2023 Dunamis Emerging Artist Fellows.