This series of work was inspired by the book We Will Be Jaguars, written by a woman who was born and raised in the remote rainforests of Ecuador. In the book, when her family explains what oil is, they call it “the blood of our ancestors.”At first, that might sound poetic or even a little far-fetched—but the more I thought about it, the more it stayed with me.

After all, matter isn’t created or destroyed. Oil is literally formed from the remains of ancient humans, plants, and animals. In that way, it truly is the blood of those who came before us.

I started to see that same connection in the mountains I was visiting—mountains that, in their own way, also felt like ancestors. That realization struck even deeper because I was born in the Rocky Mountains, the very place we were visiting.

Being there—surrounded by the land, my family, and my childhood friends—refilled my cup in a way I didn’t know I needed. I imagine you’ve felt the weight of this era too. So I painted these mountains to share that feeling with you. A reminder of where we come from. A moment to breathe. A bit of stillness, rooted in something ancient and alive.

This piece is 12” x 16” on 300 lb. archival watercolor paper and is signed by the artist.