Appalachia
Appalachia
Solo Exhibition
Sierra Dawn
June 14 - July11, 2025
Opening Reception: June 14, 6:30-8:30 pm
Yant Art Space
72-50 Austin St 2nd Floor, Forest Hills, NY 11375
Artist Statement
Raised with the spiritual teachings of my Native American ancestors, I developed a deep reverence for nature and our interconnectedness with all living things. In this body of work, I capture the landscapes and plants of the Appalachian Mountains where I grew up. These are not merely depictions of familiar scenery but an exploration of memory, as my childhood home in the Rich Mountain Wilderness is for sale after difficult changes in my family. The work chronicles my emotional journey of letting go of a place that is so foundational to my identity—a sacred base tucked into enchanting forests that I’ve returned to for solace during difficult times throughout my adult life.
The artwork blends realistic detail with impressionistic rendering and fantastical colors, speaking to the idea of childlike perception and remembering the magic I felt there. It explores how memory works—the way certain details remain crystalline while others blur and fade. One artwork is left with raw, unraveling edges, acknowledging that these memories and emotions will continue to deteriorate and transform over time.
I find this exploration of childlike perception juxtaposed with adult understanding to be a powerful tension that we all carry in some capacity. Through this work, I invite viewers into that tension—to witness the beauty and grief of honoring the landscape of the past while also mapping the emotional terrain of healing and transition. While rooted in personal memory and loss, these paintings also stand in celebration of the Appalachian landscape itself—the wildflowers, trees, and streams that continue to inspire.
About Sierra Dawn
Sierra received her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Georgia College & State University in 2013.
Her work highlights the spiritual beauty she finds in nature. Whether it’s the patterns created by overlapping leaves, the rich textures of earthy moss, or the ethereal light at dusk, she is captivated by the mystical life force energy in nature. The effortless yet perfect harmony offers a sacred sense of interconnectedness.
Her deep reverence for nature’s interconnectedness stems from both her Native American heritage and her childhood spent immersed in the forests and creeks of the Appalachian mountains of northern Georgia. These twin influences—ancestral wisdom and intimate connection to the land—shaped her understanding of the sacred relationship between all living things and ignited her passion to help others rediscover this vital bond with the natural world.
Along her journey, Sierra has been inspired by the designs of Alphonse Mucha, the ethereal drawings of Odilon Redon, the experimental color of Wolf Kahn, and the powerful patterns of Gustav Klimt.
Sierra hopes that her work will beckon the viewer to appreciate Mother Nature’s details more closely and reflect on their own interconnection with the natural world.