This painting examines the impact of human disturbance on California’s soil ecosystems, revealing how subterranean shifts ripple outward to affect biodiversity, resilience, and collective well-being.

2019 explores the intricate relationships between human activity and soil ecology along California’s west coast. At its center, a Dusky-footed Woodrat guards a nest assembled from plastic and discarded debris—an emblem of adaptation in a human-altered landscape.

Above, a Woodson’s Scrub Jay observes a Redwood Sideband Snail crossing a gravel bed, while below, a cross-section of soil reveals invasive earthworms thriving alongside native centipedes. Corroded pipes and broken glass embedded in the earth hint at decades of environmental neglect.

Despite these disruptions, the species depicted persist—each contributing to the fragile web that supports life above ground. This work reflects on the resilience of soil ecosystems and their essential role in sustaining both wild and human life.