Ally Miscikoski

Recent graduate of Michigan State University - BA Studio Art

I find myself longing for a deeper connection to nature—something I see echoed in others

more and more. We live in a culture of constant demands: work full time, exercise, eat well,

sleep enough, nurture hobbies, care for our families, make time for friends—all while somehow

managing stress with grace. These expectations pile endlessly, and in trying to meet them, we

often exhaust ourselves. That exhaustion creates a yearning to escape, to break free from the

cycle. We desire a change in our environment, but I suspect the true solution to this discomfort

would be a change internally.

Despite this, I can’t help but romanticize the idea of returning to nature—as though

stepping back into the most elemental rhythms of life might allow me to reconnect with myself.

The quiet rustle of leaves, the grounding scent of petrichor—these feel like small invitations to

clarity, a way to soften the fog and illuminate the path forward.

In my work, this ideal takes shape through fantastical reimaginings of the natural world.

Tree bark transforms into luminous pinks, grass shimmers in electric teals. The landscapes are

altered, even alien, yet they carry a strange comfort—something that feels simultaneously

unfamiliar and true.