I’m a contemporary nature artist blending embroidery and paint on canvas to create landscapes and scenes. While much of my work is visually pleasing, I recently took a risk, using my medium to convey personal emotions about the state of our country and the world. The project began with images of plants pulled from the soil, roots hanging loose, lifted into a dark, turbulent sky. Blossoms and stems twist and turn above a quiet American farm, contrasting natural beauty with ominous forces. As I worked, I experienced a flood of emotions brought on by the harsh changes of 2025—rage, sadness, outrage, hopelessness, grief, disgust, betrayal, unfairness, shock, dismay, insecurity, confusion, loss. I imagined the depth of collective trauma felt by all living things and felt compelled to create powerful images that reflect the darkness of this troubling year. I aimed to juxtapose American beauty with an atmosphere of dread. In this four-panel piece, I explored plant life in "Uprooted"; Female trauma in "Uprooted Rose"; Male trauma, "Uprooted Fallen Tree" and Humanity, "Uprooted Heart". After sharing Uprooted online, one viewer drew parallels to the Yugas in Hinduism—periods where morality declines, with the present being the Kali Yuga, when “vice prevails and humanity experiences a significant decline in spiritual values and morality.” Each panel measures 48"x48", with the background sky and some details painted in acrylic, while texture and most foreground imagery are stitched using my embroidery machines.