The Shepherd's Daughter

My work has always been deeply rooted in my family history. After the death of my mother in 1997, I became increasingly curious about notions of family, memory, and mortality. Growing up with my father, amidst the hunting culture of northern Michigan, I learned to see the ritual of hunting as a way for humans to connect with and conquer untamed nature; it is a ritual that speaks to notions of mortality and the interconnectedness of life within a larger system. My work highlights connections and contradictions that exist on microcosmic and macrocosmic levels: man vs. nature, mother vs. father, the earth vs. the sun, human vs. the universe. Through photography, video, and sculpture, my research combines elements of science, mythology, and personal history as it explores the complexity of what it means to be human—what it means for us to be alive and endlessly searching for meaning.