When we were given the prompt Gardens, Parks, and Green Spaces, my mind immediately went to the concept of a whiteout. 

A whiteout, white-out, or milky weather is a weather condition in which the contours and landmarks in a snow-covered zone become almost indistinguishable. 

I experienced my first real whiteout my second winter in Alaska when a girlfriend, her son, dog, and his girlfriend, along with myself and my one-year-old decided to drive from Anchorage to Valdez in a snow storm. We got to Glennallen and called it quits. The next day, we drove in spectacular whiteness. You could not tell the difference between the mountains, the road, and the sky. Everything was a flat white. There was no depth perception. It was like staring at a sheet of blank white paper. To this day, it is one of my favorite wilderness experiences ever. 

I wanted to create a white-out quilt because so often in Alaska, our green spaces are white!

As I worked on the quilt, more and more color crept into the composition. 

I also began to think about what these green spaces are really doing for us during these insane times. 

Nature is scientifically proven to make us feel better. 

As friends peeked in the doors of my studio this past month (masks on), they all commented on how peaceful, how tranquil this quilt felt.

I agree. 

I hope my work can offer just a tiny bit of solace as we navigate these times.

Solace
40” x 40”