I find empathy for the benevolent invaders — beings arbitrarily deemed native or non-native through no agency of their own. Whether they were placed by wind and chance or spewed and spread solely for adornment, no seed decides where they are planted.

As I emerged into adulthood, a persistent sense of unbelonging and displacement crept into my bones. Akin to the Japanese Stiltgrass that waves among American Oaks, she, too, is only seeking a home, a place, a garden to thrive in. This led me to question the powers that determine the lines in the soil—dictating what place is meant for them, you, and me.

 This exploration of oil paintings is a collection of invasive species in North America. Here, I dance with both the tangible and the metaphysical translation of an environment. These pieces probe at what is defined as Invasive, inviting the viewer to walk through their own garden — to sift and sit in their roots. Aiming to ask and maybe not answer — What is invasive to you?

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