For challenge zero, I went to my own ground zero–the ski slopes of Colorado.

I’ll be presenting a collage of colored papers that display a condo overlooking the ski slopes. The accompanying photo does little justice for the real colors in the collage. Most of the colors featured are variations of earthy tones–shades of brown and grey, with touches of green and rich, sky blue in the landscape outside. Subdued burgundies line the interior. However, two skis rest against the fireplace mantle, both bright orange–the same hue as the fire itself–as are the ski goggles on the helmet sitting nearby. I crafted the artwork to draw immediate attention to these three objects–the fire, the skis, and the helmet. The narrative I wanted to present viewers was the feeling one gets after a good day of skiing, where the skiing itself is just as energizing and vibrant as the fire blazing inside. The subdued, natural colors of the condo are in part a product of nostalgia–nostalgia for the humility of mountain life, and for the sublime calmness one feels when surrounded by nature.