better with company

2024

watercolor pen and ink on 140lb coldpress

This two-part series is a pointed reflection on the nature of memory and shared experiences, emerging directly from the quiet, vital work of tending flames: the profound importance of caring together through active and shared participation.

Though both pieces originate from a single image of a meal shared over a campfire in a campground. The images are separated by a physical gap created intentionally during the painting process. This void serves as a tangible acknowledgment of separation, the physical distance and passage of time that inevitably create gaps between us, yet cannot erode the vivid comfort of shared experiences preserved safely within our recollections.

When these two distinct pieces are ultimately brought together, they achieve a sense of wholeness, bridging the space between what was seen and what was felt to reform a single, complete image. It is a heartfelt tribute to the restorative power of “time away,” the grounding rituals that anchor us, and the enduring strength built when community is forged in the quiet, unrecorded moments between life’s highlights.

Overarching Themes

Tending Flames: The importance of caring together through active and shared participation.

Separation: The void between the two acknowledges that time and distance create space, yet our recollections preserve the vivid comfort of shared experiences.

Wholeness: When the two distinct pieces are brought together, they bridge the space between what was seen and what was felt, creating a full image.