For my first painting series while living in Spain, I wanted to capture the vibrant and vital essence of nature. I consider these paintings more than landscapes. They are expressions of how I feel when I interpret the scenes around me: wild, joyful, free, and full of energy. The cypress tree appears as a repetitive motif because it has a formal element that reminds me of a tower of enduring strength. Trees, water, and sunlight dance together as the basis for life on this planet and for our human selves. During the creative process, I work from my drawings as well as directly from my intuitive combinations of built-up forms to create compositions that retain movement. It is important for me to incorporate rapid and slow gestures and I often use my hands and finger nails to make intentional marks with the paint. The bold colour palette is also intentional, emphasizing contrasts of light and dark, thick outlines, and bright halos exposing the white of the canvas underneath.