I started this series as an artist interested in the destruction of the environment focusing on the loss of water in natural springs, an easily missed yet important feature in the environment. The more I learned about the scientific complexity and poignancy of their condition, the more science became important to this series.

Springs have been important to our survival for millennia. Despite their small size, they host a rich diversity of life, serving as a barometer of the quality and endurance of their aquifer, an easily missed critical part of the environment. This series began serendipitously when I was invited on a spring inventory trip to northeastern Arizona, where I learned about the complexity and value of spring ecosystems, as well as how climate change and humans threaten their viability. Since 1900, 90% of North American springs have been impaired or lost due to overuse, and mismanagement. I’ve spent the last 7 years visiting springs in all kinds of conditions from lush to restored, to dried up. To suggest the enigmatic presence of beauty can hide a more complex reality, I often include anthropogenic disruptions like fences, pipes, and detritus. I look to the Western landscape painter Maynard Dixon’s muted palette when choosing to manipulate colors to evoke springs' inherent precarious condition.

Having lived for years in a bone-dry town in Arizona, the constant attention to water – making sure I was drinking enough every day, not using too much when washing dishes – made me aware of the preciousness of water. I decided to record the few remaining springs before they are lost forever.

I draw inspiration from the 19th century naturalist Alexander Von Humboldt's idea that art is needed to interpret science to the public. By blending art and science into a visual narrative, the project evokes a deeper understanding and empathy for the natural world and helps to make the multi-faceted stories of springs more accessible to a non-scientific audience. Reducing the distance between us and the land makes the unknown more familiar with the purpose of beginning a dialogue about their protection.Springs have survived relentless human and natural onslaughts, but today they are in peril. It is difficult to comprehend the reality of water scarcity when most of us can access water by turning a faucet. My hope is that this series will raise awareness and serve as a call to action.

Archival Pigment Prints, 36" W x 26" H