“We are part of nature, not apart from it. The truth is that we need Mother Nature, Mother Nature does not need us. Her gifts are generous and make it possible for our human species to thrive collectively and individually. Implied is our shared responsibility to care for, and be mindful of, the Earth’s fragile ecosystems. Human health and well-being depend on it.”
—Paula Crown

Consistent with Friends of the Desert Mountains’ mission of land and wildlife preservation and conservation, the nonprofit showcased Crown’s ASPEN MAPS series at the Intersect Palm Springs Art and Design Fair, in an exhibition entitled HEALING NATURE: The Aspen Maps.  

Crown’s vibrant abstractions of trail maps explore nature and its relationship with human well-being. During challenging times, such as the period of isolation and uncertainty arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, she finds comfort, nourishment, and healing in the outdoors. The colors and organic shapes of the surrounding terrain sooth and improve her focus.

Layered and abstracted, Crown’s painting language is sensuous, evoking human forms and sinuous topographies. Viewers immerse in fantastical landscapes and vivid color adjacencies that encompass both physical and psychological spaces.