Reflection

While researching, I came across Julia Butterfly Hill. At the age of 25, Julia lived in a canopy amongst ancient redwood trees, specifically a tree named Luna, for 738 days. In hopes of shining light on forests that were being exploited and to stop companies with deforestation plans, she chose this act of civil disobedience to take physical action. I was eager to find out more about Julia mainly because I could not imagine anyone living in a tree for more than two years, but also because I was drawn to the courage and motivation she had. Julia is an example of an actual “do-er” who has protected the trees. I wanted to portray her life amongst the trees to depict the fact that anyone is capable of making an impact, as long as they are willing to do so. I wanted to emphasize the trees that Julia stood for, hence the coloration, or lack thereof, within the image. While researching and working on this piece, I felt hopeful in the sense that there will always be people who are willing to fight and do whatever it takes to advocate for what they believe in.