My nine days as an Artist in Residence at the Mount St Helens Institute paved the way for me to walk a path that I had not given myself permission to walk. As a self-taught artist with a deeply academic science background, I was unsure of my place or purpose and - despite teaching the contrary in workshops for all audiences - I felt uncomfortable calling myself an artist or a scientist because I walked the undefined line between the two.

Five years after finishing my PhD (in Molecular Engineering, basically computational physics), I was still feeling jaded and uninspired by science. I had followed long, hard roads in both academia and industry, neither of which had quite suited my passions or learning and work styles. I longed for the days I remembered feeling as an undergrad student in chemistry, excited to learn just for the sake of learning, and I hoped spending a week as an artist alongside volunteer geologists and two dozen enthusiastic middle school kids during GeoGirls 2025 would reignite that spark for me while also providing an inspiring environment to grow as an artist.

But I wasn’t prepared for the transformation that could happen in such a short time. I felt at home at the volcano (though as a city girl, irrationally afraid of getting attacked by a bear). Every inch of the landscape was inspiring and healing: the historical transformation and post-eruption regrowth of the St. Helens ecosystem was an optimistic reflection of my own internal challenges as an artist, a scientist and a human. I felt embraced by the MSHI staff, by the kids and teachers at GeoGirls, by my new geologist friends who have sparked a desire in me to learn more about rocks and volcanoes and the earth and its connection to us as humans. By my new friend and fellow artist-in-residence Susan, whose path has been so different than mine and yet we connected in so many unexpected ways.

I felt embraced by the mountain itself.

I felt validated as an artist - but also as a scientist. To be given permission to step away from the hectic schedule of life to pause and reflect on place and purpose and priorities was invaluable. Even as a full-time artist, it’s hard to make time for art let alone the deep thoughts that come with making art. The opportunity to slow down, even amidst the hectic schedule of GeoGirls, reminded me to embrace the process of art rather than just the final product, and engage and connect with the world in a way that feels so important today. By the end of my residency, I felt rejuvenated and inspired. I left the mountain filled with joy from being able to show both adults and kids that their creativity matters - and mine does too.

Arin Rae Art