"Being a devout observer and lover of Nature, I have a unique challenge when painting a landscape. In Nature I am amazed by the infinite number of organisms and elements swirling in this mix of life. Representing that power, beauty and unity is possible by transforming these elements into form and symbols. Plato states that the material world is changeable and unreliable, yet beyond this world of appearances is one of permanence and reliability. This is true reality. For any conceivable thing there is a corresponding Form which is an independent existing abstract perfect idea. The idea of a tree, for example, has great complexity and spirit. It becomes more than an object; it becomes an idea. I use these forms /ideas as my subjects in a scene to create a story about human connection. The painting isn’t an outside story, but rather an inside one." -Jane Troup