I am a person who thrives on routine. With COVID, I had to learn to adapt and roll with the constant changes. It was hard, but it also allowed me to learn new things about myself and to appreciate my home and support network even more. For this piece, I let go of structure and routine and allowed myself to paint and create what I was feeling. The photography is from the many journeys I had during these past 2 years, the clay is a mug I created and destroyed, the “breathe” braided yarn is from a project where I learned how to knit last year. All of this reflecting the beauty and power of nature, especially for our beautiful trails and nature preserves, and how a hike can be a healing experience. Vaccines have given me the safety to go outside and explore and to create new art. I hope people will see this piece and take time to reflect on all the ups and downs they’ve experienced since the start of the pandemic (the art is tactile too!).