In my garden I set my gaze on shapes, shadows and how light brings order and defines edges and textures. I then bring these observations into the studio where I begin by activating the canvas with free, intuitive, abstract mark making. This lays a foundation that I then respond to as I think about the observations I gathered in my garden. As a graphic designer and fine artist I keep in mind the elements of design as I work through a piece. Color, line, shape, and various contrasts are what stand out to me the most. I am aware of the negative space as I paint around shapes that have captured me, layer by layer creating depth. The same depth I see when I curiously observe life below the surface of the flowers that first catch my attention. These acrylic paintings are a culmination of gazing at my garden and the adjacent possibilities that opened up from free experimentation.