I am an advocate for Erin

A painter, graphic designer, and hike master.

She is a growing master of many trades, constantly fueled by inspiration in the mountains. Not only in the conceptual sense, but in the physical, reach-the-mountain-summit, kind of way. It is the inspired drive to create that shows her work is a labor of love. The pursuit, birthed by a thought in an art museum years ago, remains an ever-changing aspect of Erin’s life.

“They did something and I’m just talking about it”

Painter

That moment in the art museum was a catalyst. She told me of the experience, walking along a long hall of color-blocked abstract paintings at the Seattle Art Museum pondering a thought.

“I could have done this”

How did these artists get to this point where their art could be displayed before her?

“The only way to create is to make”

To write. To paint. To take thought and concept and release it, whether it be onto canvas, website, or spoken out. So, Erin started to create. Entirely self-taught, from her roots in pencil and charcoal, to watercolor exploration, to the current practice of acrylics (which she primarily uses for her larger scale artwork), she has grown as an artist by seeking and creating from everything that inspires her.

“Gathering inspiration from people I admire online, then create my own version of it. All of the little things I’ve worked on over time here come together in my own style.”

She takes the influence and crafts the art through her own lens. A lens that leads her brush and her boots.

Graphic Designer

The hustle by the week day.

She has a beautiful aesthetic that she is able to deliver with uniqueness, not just for her own work, but for other creatives. She knows the value of branding, of consistency and commitment to the craft, and the greater message that keeps it going. It is something she wants to continue to explore in the professional form.

Design work

Hike Master

Ranger Erin.

The self described escape artist, which is so brilliant, and epic. She hikes practically every weekend. Her months are marked with goals to strengthen her skills, understand best practices, and build endurance for the more demanding inclines. And she has turned those lessons and growth into a connecting point with her followers. Ranger Erin, damn I love that.

I’m lucky enough to say I’ve tread an incline alongside her. She is so gracious in the face of my heaving breaths. And the best companion for connecting with the birds. And I do mean, THE BIRDS…

I ramble, but really, how does she create it all? How does she fuse it together into this cohesive masterpiece?

“You’ll never achieve by simply dreaming about it. accomplishments come from action, even if it’s just little by little + day by day.”

“Hiking is how I breathe

in the world on a tangible basis. Hiking is a way to really explore the world around me and IN me. It forces me out of my comfort zone, builds mental and physical strength, and has a way of forming deeper bonds with friends along the way. When I’m out in nature is when I feel like my truest self: no labels, no social media followers, no successes/failures. It’s just me.”

“If being in nature is me

“breathing in the world”, then art is how I “breathe it back out”. I take what I see and how it makes me feel and try to capture it on canvas in a modern yet still abstract/impressionistic way. I want to be reminded of these incredible experiences I’ve had in nature - and emotion can’t always be captured in a photograph.”

“Design is the bridge

between the breath in and the breath out. I got into design because I wanted a creative career that would also pay my bills (hey, I found it!). I soon realized though that it wasn’t enough to be paid to be creative for someone else. I needed to do it for me. As I’ve worked on this skill and shared it with the world, people have begun to take notice and want it on their walls as well since they’ve had similar emotions and experiences.
Art is my expression and my connector with other like-minded individuals. Overall I love the structure of design and how it can really help take an incredible idea and bring it in to marketable fruition. I use my design skills to sell my art! I can build web pages, logos, and faux-wall mock-ups with ease, which really takes the online aspect of my art to the next level. I could be creating the most beautiful artwork, but if I don’t show it to the world in an appealing way, less people will take notice. My background in design bridges that gap (and I’ve got my bills paid with my 9 to 5 job).”

As she explores art of different mediums, I see the cycle expands into a sort of artistic ecosystem, creating variety that relieves the pressure of creative burnout. And for me, the fan, I look at her work, and I climb the mountain that her strokes create, feel myself sway in the waves, such rich deep blues I would like to taste all the shades.

Bringing it all together

I have not experienced such focused inspiration as what I’ve seen with Erin. And not just her direct deep relationship with the world and her art, but the powerful result of the art she creates. I admire how she balances the realities of profit and art with the passion and art. They aren’t mutually exclusive, nor is one her sole why. The art she creates out of love she sells to feed her travels, her gear, and as a result her art. It is a beautiful sustaining cycle.

My take away: