2009, soil, compost and charcoal on canvas, 3.5 x 8.5 ft. x 2.5 in. NFS

This artwork is based on microscopic exploration of soil structure and microorganisms such as diatoms, bacteria, algae, and fungi. It is a portrait of the subject matter using the subject matter as medium. Embedded in the layers of soil, compost and charcoal are words that apply equally to the formation of the Earth’s crust, and adult developmental processes, reinforcing the concept that our own individual identities, like the planet’s geological strata, are formed under pressure of time. Alive Below won First Place Award, 2011 Eastside Association of Fine Arts Juried Exhibition, Seattle, WA.