“I have always found comfort when connecting to nature. As part of that ongoing conversation, I work with natural and existing materials, such as plant life, water, stone and detritus that originate from sites that represent their local character.

This current work revolves around the daily study of the evolution of plant decay and water. It expresses the beauty I witness in things that some might not dare touch.

Over the course of the last 3 years – beginning in the pandemic, Drop by Drop developed.

Each day, as I looked out my kitchen window, I observed and photographed the stark beauty of the cyclic, seasonal procession of nature; growth and vivid life, followed by withering and decay – a different form of survival. By also introducing older collections of native plant life from the Mojave Desert, Iceland and Denmark, vignettes of a different kind connected and emerged.

This body of work presented challenges. Typically, I work in muted colors, or some might say “the lack of color”. I find natural, cool and muted tones inherently found in the process of decay actually calming. I experience color as a sensation – a result of the way objects reflect or emit light. With this in mind, I included light as an instrumental element in each composition – resulting in a much more vibrant color palette. Surprisingly, it made me uncomfortable in an unexpected way, and at the same time, brought me joy – providing an innate poetry of its own.” — Victoria Arriola

April 13 – May 11, 2024