Hello! I’m Sami Rose an Art Student at the School of Art and Art History at the University of Florida. I’m pursuing my BFA in Drawing, but my art practice is interdisciplinary and I work predominantly with Mixed Media Collage. I was born and raised in the state of Florida. The natural world has been a large influence on my life having grown up deeply immersed in the nature preserves and state parks of Florida, as well as the Appalachian Mountains. I am an avid lover of nature and spending time outside, I enjoy going to Florida’s beaches and natural springs, as well as traveling to new places. My hobbies include swimming, hiking, snowboarding, skiing, and kayaking. I am attracted to the reoccurring forms of nature, especially those of Florida and the East Coast. The organic forms seen in Biology, Geology and Topography create the basis of my visual expression. The native Flora and Fauna of my home such as its natural springs, rivers, and beaches are as integral a component of my work as they have been an impact on my life.