The Mountains Are In Us
“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.” — John Muir
Since moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in late 2018, I’ve become more aware of the porousness of the studio walls; life experiences filter into the work in subtle ways — how could it be otherwise?
This body of work was made during a once-in-a-century pandemic. Within the hermetic, solitary process of making paintings, the dense thicket of my thoughts overwhelmed me at times — hence, the daily practice of walking. I’ve walked well over a thousand miles since I began the work for this exhibition. Over the weeks and months, I noticed that the landscape of Northern New Mexico is incredibly convoluted, thatched, and brambly. Everything is connected, layered, attached, intertwined, and interdependent.
As I walked, Muir’s words cropped up and rang in my head like a mantra. The phrase suggests the anticipation of arrival as well as a recognition of our deep connection to the large masses of rock, soil, and vegetation that protrude, often in dramatic fashion, from the gentler contours of the earth.
— Amy Ellingson, May 2021
