This painting began with an infrared photograph of a wind turbine standing above the West Texas landscape. While many people see only industry, I found myself drawn to its scale, graceful geometry, and the way the changing light reflected across its surface.

Although I recognize the complex conversations surrounding wind energy and its impact on wildlife and the environment, I wanted to pause long enough to appreciate the beauty I witnessed in that moment. The giant turbine cast dramatic shadows while the surrounding landscape glowed with the unexpected colors inspired by infrared photography.

The painting carries another story that has made it especially meaningful to me. During my first solo exhibition, Seen/Unseen, one of my former students stood in front of this painting and promised that when his career in the wind energy industry began, he would return to purchase it. Today it still hangs in my living room, quietly waiting for that promise to come true.