Contents: Body dissatisfaction; Discharge of emotion through art; Stigmas' consequences as captured through photography; Lauren Greenfield; The perceptions of others; This is beautiful; Psychological consequences; Thesis project: "Being There"; Artistic influences; "Being There" revisited; Past endeavors in mixed media; Artistic influences: everyday materials and structural art; Conclusion; Honors in Studio Art thesis extension; Works cited. Includes 21 images.

I have organized this paper into four chapters: "The Environmental Situation," "Space and Place," "Art and the Natural Environment," and "Creating Work of My Own." Chapter 1 explains human beings' intrinsic interconnection to the natural environment, outlining why humans should be concerned about the current degraded state of the natural world. Chapter 2 discusses the concepts of space and place. It analyzes how human beings interact with and experience spaces, developing their sense of place - within physical, theoretical, and spiritual realms. It finally illustrates the importance that spaces and places have in humans' lives. Chapter 3 describes the Land Art phenomenon: its development, the different forms within it, and artists producing Land Artworks. The forms and artists included are those that have been inspirational for the development of my own work. It also emphasizes Land Art as a fundamental form for improving humans' relationship with the natural environment and the new realm of eco-feminism that resonates with Land Art ideals. Chapter 4 recounts the development of my art throughout my college career. It describes my work as site-specific, sculptural installations that use natural materials. It also states why this format is the most effective for my senior art thesis project. Focusing mainly on "Ecological Reawakening: organic DNA," it explains the mentality in designing, creating, installing, and completing the work. Overall, Chapter 4 emphasizes the work's two main goals: to demonstrate a new avenue for comprehending humankind's place within earth's environmental spaces, and to advocate for an environmental paradigm shift during the twenty-first century. Finally, Chapter 5 describes the transformation of "Ecological Reawakening: organic DNA" as it developed over time during the spring honors senior thesis course. It details my mentalities in adding living plant matter to the structure, incorporating a stool into the piece, and creating "Evolution," the digital photography composition that documents "Ecological Reawakening" and was included in the Scripps Senior Art Exhibition in the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery from May 1 – May 17, 2009.