the story

October 2020

A cause very close to my heart, I created these watercolors when millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington were burning. Thousands of homes and forest habitats destroyed, and a dangerous amount of smoke was being released into the atmosphere.

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, spending over 12 years exploring both the Canadian and American forests, rivers and beaches. A place that holds particular importance to me in the Oregon Coast, an unforgettable road trip my parents took us on, that I later returned to with friends. The landscape is magical, really no other way to describe it. Giant boulders tower over sandy beaches, rock pools filled with secret critters and a temperate rainforest supporting an extremely diverse ecosystem.

Although there were many great organizations to choose from that aid with the damage of the fires along the West Coast, I chose to donate to this particular one because of their commitment to fighting for permanent legislative protection of landscapes, and for recognizing that the current climate crisis we are in will bring about worse fires each year unless something is done.

"Scientists predict that climate change will bring hotter, drier summers to the Pacific Northwest, together with less snowfall in the mountains during the winter months. Combined, these could significantly increase fire activity. The best way to combat this challenge is to restore and protect more old-growth forests across the landscape. Not only are old-growth trees more fire resistant, but they also capture and store tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide which helps address the climate problem at its root."

(https://oregonwild.org/about/blog/nine-things-oregonians-should-know-about-forest-fires-1)

I hope to inspire and encourage others to do what they can to help out, no effort is too small.