Roots
Roots is an ongoing photographic project, focusing on the natural landscape of the Pacific Northwest. For the first thirty-five years of my life, I had no idea that my ancestors also called this magical forested area their home. My Indigenous ‘Roots’ are exploring the beauty in the mundane and wild space of my forever home.
The landscape portraiture of this project is a representation of the time I’ve spent studying the native plants and environment in my own backyard. Many of these images were taken on my own property, with the hopes of inviting others to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Life in the Pacific Northwest
By studying the land and various species in my surrounding environment, I’ve slowly come to realize the interconnections between them and myself. A lingering life-long question that has stayed in my mind has revolved around my identity. Who am I? I was a stay-at-home mom, a certified nurse’s assistant, a massage therapist, and a teacher. But an uninvited uncertainty in my being had always occupied a vast majority of space. Through my photos in Roots, uncertainty has begun to shift into confidence. Self-doubt has slowly metamorphosized into self-actualization. I am an artist, here to present my truth, my expression, and acceptance of this place I call home.
“When we see just how multilayered the interactions between different species are, we have to ask, once again, whether we will ever be able to fully comprehend the connections in our environment.”
Peter Wohlleben- The Secret Wisdom of Nature