About the art: “I was inspired by the arrival of spring and painted South Dakota’s state flower (the American Pasque Flower) so it appears to peek through the textures and colors around it. Tucked into one of the handmade paper layers are cropped buffalo images, created using a negative painting technique. Most of the piece leans abstract, with strong contrasts: organic and geometric shapes, warm and cool tones, torn and cut edges, soft and rough textures. I love how contrast pulls the eye through a piece and invites people to slow down, look closer, and find their own meaning. For me, collage is an evolving process as each layer changes the story.”