Overcrowding of natural areas is a problem of increasing importance in today’s world. According to the National Park Service, visitation to national parks reached a staggering 327.5 million visits in 2019, the fifth consecutive year where visits exceeded 300 million.1 As an ecologist, I have devoted myself to exploring the relationship between humans and nature as well as facilitating dialogue about human encroachment of public lands. My paintings span from untouched landscapes to those seen through screens and windshields; they create a space for viewers to analyze their own relationships with nature and often evoke a feeling of uncertainty at how to proceed in natural spaces. My merit and demerit badges reframe and modernize the traditional "Leave No Trace" ideals. Viewers may begin to question their role in nature and consider how social media “sharing” may be to the detriment of the natural places they are seeking to capture. 

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