Artist spotlight: Autumn stock

I was born and raised in Yosemite National Park, where my parents worked as park rangers. Growing up among amazing artists and mentors has inspired me to share my love of nature through art. The park is not only my home but became my earliest source of inspiration. For me, creating art is a way to ground myself in the landscape. I began working in watercolor because of its ability to capture a moment in time and take me to a peaceful, almost meditative state that I experience while painting places I love and know well.

Over the years, my work has focused on the landscapes that have always been a part of me, particularly Yosemite. Throughout my artistic journey, I have gotten the privilege to show my paintings at the Ansel Adams Gallery, Mono Lake Committee, Yosemite Conservancy, and other local businesses and fairs. I am currently a sophomore at Colorado College, pursuing Environmental Studies and design. My studies have honed my technical skills and deepened my understanding of the relationship between people, our environment, and art. I believe that art has the power to connect us to the world around us, and my goal is to foster a deeper sense of appreciation for the natural world. For me, painting is a way to honor the beauty that shaped my life, and I hope my work inspires others to reconnect with the land that sustains us.

Art has helped me see the importance of caring for our beautiful home and its inhabitants. I hope that my paintings can inspire others to be stewards of the wilderness that we are so lucky to be able to play in. I think my mission aligns with the Yosemite Renaissance’s mission of sharing a celebration of Yosemite art in a meaningful and intentional way. It would be such an honor to be able to share my work with the Yosemite Renaissance.

Growing up within Yosemite National Park provided me with an intimate relationship with the landscape. The subjects of these paintings are deeply rooted in the places I have known since childhood: granite cliffs, waterfalls, the high sierras, and the ever-changing sky. I especially love painting with plein air watercolors in wild, alpine environments. I love watercolor because it allows me to create works that feel like they have a sense of movement. I especially love painting the sky, whether it's the shifting light of dawn over the Matterhorn or the dusk tones of Yosemite Falls. I try to embrace the spontaneity of watercolor, letting it guide me and show me techniques I could never come up with on my own.

I chose to paint Matterhorn Peak Clouds, as it holds fond memories and I have wanted to paint the scene for years. Being the highest point on the dramatic Sawtooth Ridge, I find that Matterhorn Peak encapsulates the rugged, sharp, and wild terrain of the high sierras. I was especially excited about casting a warm orange sunlight over the jagged landscape.

In each piece, I strive to create not just a visual representation of the landscape, but an experience that invites reflection and a sense of wonder. I created both of these paintings with the intention to feel the same sense of memory and reminiscing that I experience whenever I return to Yosemite.