Mountains to Sea

A river is born in the mountains and travels through plains before becoming an estuary and reaching the ocean. As a resident of the Tijuana River watershed, I use my experiences exploring by foot and bicycle as a backdrop for my parenting journey. Typically landscape paintings are empty, but I intentionally combine people, plants and animals to symbolize our interconnectedness.

California has lost 90% of its wetlands to urban development, and San Diego is very biodiverse. Wetlands throughout the southern California region are critical stopovers for migrating birds on the Pacific Flyway. In North America, 1 in 4 birds were lost since 1950 primarily due to habitat loss. I hope viewers will support restoration projects in their own area.

Human health requires natural spaces for recreation and enjoyment. Historically disadvantaged communities have a disproportionate lack of access to natural spaces. Sadly, many children grow up without experiences in nature which they need to deepen their understanding of humanity’s place in the ecosystem. My work envisions a potential future where people and nature co-exist.