The Impression Series | The Headwaters Series™ | Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC/TN

As the name suggests, my “Impressions Series” features abstract exposures that explore the endless play of light and water. In the spirit of the Impressionists, I strive to find my own path within this dynamic vein of artistic expression – to create a body of work that both reflects tribute humbly and yet refracts forward unapologetically. When done right, this is the series that seems the most like magic. Here, viewers discover elusive, fleeting, yet familiar and overlooked perspectives. Moments from nature hiding in plain sight in the single most abundant substance on our planet, unlocked via an obsession with nuance, light, and emotion.

Emblem is my earnest best impressionistic take on autumn in Appalachia.

Autumn is my favorite season, especially in my native Appalachia. It is the time of year that the range of color and light seems to reflect the ancient, diverse, and elusive nature of these mountains. I have long searched for an opportunity to capture an impressionistic image that would somehow distill that essence. I finally got that chance one afternoon while rock-hopping up one of the massive tumbling creeks of the Great Smoky Mountains. I came across a large open pool that allowed enough space for the canopy above to reflect across the shadowed waters below, and I focused in on a stretch of ripples that had a vast range of colors and densities. From brilliant to faded and from bright to black, the reflected tones and shapes shimmered in unison like an emblem of Appalachia, and I knew I had just captured something special.