Experiencing nature in a poetic way can be both healing and purifying, since we come to understand our place in the universe as one jewel in Indra’s net. We comprehend that what happens to one being ripples through the entire fabric of life, and that we are all manifestations of this oneness. Though there are differences in nature and each manifestation of life has its own unique traits, the concept of “the other” is an illusion. Everything in life is a jewel and reflects everything else. Spending time in nature has shown me that I have experienced the energy of ancient trees and seen how they work together and with fungi to create richer manifestations of life, often helping each other survive adverse conditions and disease. As I age, I find myself drawn to impermanence and fragility, while also celebrating perseverance.  Observing interactions between lifeforms and how nature maintains continuity through change also helps me face the increasingly precarious nature of existence.  These images are all platinum-palladium prints

When I traveled to Japan in 2025, the sacredness of the environment was reaffirmed by both the natural beauty of the landscape and the Japanese people’s appreciation of all existence, including rocks and trees. The Japanese philosopher Kitaro Nishida wrote, “God is that which dissolves the distinction between subjectivity and objectivity and unites spirit with nature.” When we experience direct union with nature, we feel our smaller selves unite with something larger and eternally cyclical that allows us to live in right relation to the ecosphere and even come to accept our own mortality.