I grew up every summer with a week spent in the beautiful landscape of western North Carolina, in a small community situated about 20 miles east of Asheville. It has always been my home-away-from-home. When I think about those summers, my mind is filled with wrap-around porches, crisp, refreshing mountain air, the sticky sweetness of blooming rhododendron flowers, the soothing backdrop of meandering streams, and the pleasant shock of icy cold water on my feet. Most notably, I can close my eyes and recall the soothing sounds of a storm making its way across the mountains and through the evergreen forests. This experience is intricately woven into the fabric of my personhood - and every year, I find myself craving it. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to spend as much time there this summer, which has led me to do my very best to recreate those memories in my little studio space. Looking at these pieces, I hope that you, too, can feel the rumbling thunder and hear the sheets of rain hitting the leaves among the treetops. I hope these pieces help you to recall a time and a place of memory for yourself - of a slow pace, of being present to the sights, sounds and smells of summer.