I enjoy such outdoor activities as field biology and bonsai. I’m especially interested in California native plants. Indoors, I do a lot of cooking, and watch many anime series. I also enjoy video games. But my greatest interest is photography.

Interestingly, my grandfather was a student of Ansel Adams. One of my first photo assignments was to visit a gallery of Adams’ photography. Afterwards, I was at a park where the resident ground squirrels were accustomed to human activity. I got some very good close up shots.

My Autism makes my art more unique…I see things from a different perspective, which appeals to people more than art modeled blindly after famous artists. My first professionally displayed photo, Alder Leaves, wound up at the de Souza gallery for Chico’s Centennial Celebration.

Currently, I’ve worked on assignment for a mini-grant from the City of Chico. It was hosted by Vagabond Rose. I developed a retrospective on the USDA Genetic Resource Center, locally known as the “Tree Farm.” Historically this is a research facility for agriculture in the county and a little known Chico treasure. Presently its more a park and a great place to walk your dog.

Eventually, I’d like to travel the world, visiting such countries as Sweden, Japan, and Brazil. I’d enjoy exploring new areas with different landscapes, plants, animals, and people to photograph. I’d also buy or otherwise conserve wild areas, protecting wildlife that depends on them, and keeping land out of the hands of unscrupulous developers.

- Rowell Family Empowerment does not take any money from the artist -