When you look at one of my paintings, you might first notice the fine details, the way an insect's wing reflects the light, or how a bird's eyes seem to hold a quiet knowing. But underneath the layers of paint and paper is something deeper. Every animal and plant I paint holds meaning.
I’ve always been drawn to the kind of stories where animals carry messages. One of my earliest inspirations was Aesop’s Fables for Children, illustrated by Milo Winter. I remember poring over the pages, fascinated by how each creature represented a lesson -- courage, cleverness, or even foolishness.
Years later, while sitting in Professor Wolf’s Italian Renaissance class in college, I learned that even a simple bowl of fruit in an old oil painting may contain symbols that, once decoded, represented some of life's biggest questions about life and death.
So it's not such a big leap to see that nature has started speaking to me in symbols. A crow isn't just a crow. A mushroom isn’t just a mushroom. Each living thing carries a story, a personality, a spirit.
In my work, I try to honor those stories and create art that feels like a portal into the wisdom of the natural world.
Animals as Messengers
Animals show up in my paintings not just for their beauty, but because I believe they carry messages. When I paint a Monarch Butterfly, it can be a symbol for a lost loved one coming back to check on us. A green fly might seem small, but it's vital to the ecosystem, reminding us of the importance of unseen labor and overlooked beings.
Owls, snakes, moths, ladybugs... each one arrives in a painting with its own energy. Sometimes it feels like they choose me, showing up in my sketchbook when I’m working through something personal or spiritual.
Plants and Mushrooms
Plants carry deep symbolism, too. And mushrooms often represent rebirth or transformation in my work. They grow from decay and remind me of how beauty can rise from breakdown. Oak leaves and acorns speak to strength, legacy, and growth over time. Ferns feel ancient and protective. Wildflowers feel like joy and resilience.
When I paint a scene full of flora, I’m thinking about ecosystems, about how everything is connected, how healing happens in relationship. I’m also thinking about how many of us long to reconnect with the land and with ourselves through that connection.
Art as a Spiritual Practice
This way of painting feels like a meditation, a way of listening. I don't just want to make something pretty to hang on the wall. I want each painting to hold energy. A piece of art that someone can live with and return to almost like an altar or a mirror. A reminder of something they know deep down.
Whether it’s a squirrel, a fern, or a fly, I trust that the symbols in my work will speak to the people who need to hear them.
Looking for more nature inspiration?
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