Coexisting with Nature

Just as the city of Portland, Oregon, began to shut down because of the new coronavirus, Mary Alayne Thomas had started painting for her September solo show at Lotton Gallery in Chicago.

- MARY ALAYNE THOMAS

As an artist who focuses on nature, Thomas found positivity amid the uncertainty in news reports of “the natural world rebounding and flourishing with the absence of humanity.”

She elaborates, “Polluted rivers became clean, skies became clear, wildlife returned into the spaces abandoned by people. I began to imagine trees and vines growing tall and taking over, animals roaming our streets and yards, reclaiming the planet. When I went on walks, the ravens seemed to be cawing in victory! I wanted to capture my vision of this world in which we coexisted with nature, and held its care as a priority in our hearts. Although the changes I saw were fleeting, I remain inspired by the flexibility of the natural world. It appears that by changing our behavior, we could change the world in which we live—something that often seems impossible—and that gives me such hope.”