Abigail Spector 

Today, many species of animals on this planet are endangered, simply due to human involvement in the environment. In my practice, I emphasize the environmental problems that nature endures due to human consumption and urbanization. What has come to be viewed as natural in our society is laden with artificiality, while the nature that remains and the beings that live in it are removed everyday. My current work focuses on the unbalanced relationship between humans and wildlife, and functions as an exploration of both humanity's and my involvement in the environment. My drawings and paintings function as documentations of issues regarding declining natural environments, while also inherently recording my reactions and views of the relevant issues. Furthermore, my landscape paintings are important as both a connection to feminism and nature. I find the relationship between nature and femininity symbiotic and complex. Landscapes vary just as women do, from vibrant to barren. Through examining landscapes and natural spaces, I can gain a better sense of my own place in the environment, foremost as a woman but also as a person. Just as different elements make up landscapes, I am made of elements and characteristics shaped by my identity and community. Thus through landscape painting, I am able to connect to the earth and deepen my comprehension of

womanhood. Ultimately, through my work, I provide advocation against the erasure of wildlife and examine environmental issues through the feminine lens.