“Solitary landscapes seldom feel innocent to me. They may seem haunted by their beauty, portent and promise. Human impact is always there whether we detect it or not. It may be noted in an eroded stream bed or it might be as draconian as a strip mine. An increasingly impacted place may eventually cross threshold into our commonplace — the world of commerce and habitation. Later, it may sink into neglect and cross a threshold again, into solitude, shifting our attention from schedules and consumption back to reflection. Such places may feel plundered and forsaken, their sacredness squandered. I live in a magnificent but troubled landscape. It seems natural for me to depict the regret along with the wonder.”