2025 New England Trail Artist In Residence

The summer of 2025, I was selected to be the 2025 Artist in Residence for the New England Trail, a National Scenic Trail that runs 236 miles from the shores of Connecticut to the Hills of northern Massachusetts. Working with the National Park Service and CT forest and park association, I was able to hike the trail in sections, creating wood engraving prints either plein air, or in my studio inspired by sketches along the trail. These prints were an analyzation of how we ineract with the natural world along these trails, and how we can learn and adapt our own spaces to better live in harmony with the flora and fauna we love so much to engage with. Whether it be cars and light pollution lighting up the sky as much as fireflies light up a forest, or centuries old damns becoming homes for roudy bullfrogs, there is a neverending source of stories hidden deep within the nooks and crannies of the great northeastern woodlands.

These prints went on to inform a larger map, illustrating the trail in its entirety, drawing upon my experience as a childrens illustrator to craft vignettes of how hikers and habitats interact along the trail. While hiking the trail, we held hiking and printmaking workshops so people could join me for a fun, informational and often nerdy hike through the woodlands, and make some art inspired by the trail. It was a great experience in getting people not only interested in a great through hiking trail, but also appreciating the nature they decided to depict in their own personal piece of art.

This residency was my first, and was graciously funded by the CT Forest and Parks association and the National Park Service.

The Wood Engravings

Wood engravings are a great way to pack as much detail as possible into a smaller print. By using end grain american maple hardwood and copper engraving tools, I can engrave an image into the block and print an image on a fine piece of paper. Each print is printed by hand, with the color images being done in the reduction style, where one block is used, and each color is its own seperate layer, building up to the final print. These prints are meant to look at how we interact with the natural world along these trails, with the smaller ones being printed on the trail plein air.