Passing Through. 18″ x 24″. Acrylic on Canvas. 2016.

The Arboretum at the University of Guelph helped me tremendously in my transition into first year, as well as living on campus. Having such a beautiful natural space so close to my residence allowed me to escape the stress and anxiety of lectures and school assignments and allow me to just enjoy being outside. One of the first things I noticed was the abundance of crows on campus, which differed from my natural spaces at home. They are common birds, not really admired for their beauty or colours like the warblers that pass through in spring and fall, but they are large, and sleek and highly intelligent. When I think about my university experience in the grand scheme of my life, I’m just passing through this wonderful campus and city in a blur of labs, lectures and assignments, but hopefully along the way I can learn as much as possible from the people around me.