Nature has always been my compass. From a childhood spent wandering New England’s forests to years training as a musician, engineering water treatment systems, and ultimately building a life as a documentary filmmaker and photographer, the natural world has remained my teacher. It’s where I return to understand myself and my place in an increasingly complex world. But as I deepened this relationship, I began to see—with striking clarity—how limited access to nature is for so many others.
The Re:Source Project was born from that realization. I wanted to create moments of peace, reflection, and genuine connection with nature in places where those moments rarely occur—urban corridors, health care environments, high-stress institutional spaces. Not romanticized nature, not distorted or exaggerated, but the real thing: the wind through Shawangunk pines, the slow bending of light on a winter river, or wildflowers blowing in the wind; footage captured in silence and carried back to the people who might need it most.
My relationship with CODAsummit began in 2023, when I arrived as an event photographer while in my sixth year of building OWLEY Studios, a creative means of supporting art and placemaking through mindful film production & photography. Even through the lens of documenting others, I sensed that this community was different. The presentations and connections I made were incredibly inspiring, hearing artists share their unique visions while engaging my engineering mind with the intricate processes. A seed was planted – the thought that, perhaps, I could also have a seat at the table when the time was right.
The following year, as I took film expeditions into nature, trips into cities for work, and visits to healthcare environments, I began to see the need of nature. Re:Source was then born, and I offered to bring it to CODAsummit. During the awards ceremony, I quietly introduced the project to the community with nothing but an enigmatic QR code—an open invitation to collaborators who felt aligned with its mission. The conversations that followed confirmed that this project resonated.
But it was at the 2025 CODAsummit, while I was producing legacy films for the CODAawards ceremony, that Re:Source truly came alive. During the cocktail hour, we projected my installation onto a massive concrete wall, accompanied only by the words “Forget Not The Natural World.” I handed out wildflower postcards—small, symbolic tokens reminding attendees of the stewardship we all share. That evening, I watched groups gather, pause, and breathe. Even in that brief moment, nature had entered the built environment and softened it.
Showcasing this work at CODAsummit didn’t simply elevate the project; it clarified its purpose. It connected me to individuals and organizations who see access to nature not as a luxury, but as a right. It emboldened me to bring Re:Source into a public space with greater intention. The presentations at the 2025 CODAsummit also served as confirmation of my speculations: that there is great synchronicity between art and engineering, that many great projects are often not done totally alone, and that personal sentiments often bring us closer.
Soon after CODAsummit, Re:Source made its first public appearance at the O+ Festival in Kingston, NY. I installed a projection screen between two old trees in the yard of the historic Old Dutch Church, bringing a collection of local nature visuals to city residents and festival goers. People of all ages gathered in silence, in conversation, and in curiosity. Some called it a “moment of peace.” Others simply said “thank you.”
Across the festival, my first solo photography exhibition, Wildflorus: Shawangunk, offered a parallel visual dialogue about biodiversity and the reclamation of undervalued stories. Together, they formed a unified message: to regard the source of what sustains us.
Today, The Re:Source Project invites partnerships with environmental organizations, urban planners, healthcare networks, arts & culture institutions, and anyone committed to reimagining how we bring real, authentic views of nature into spaces that otherwise may have limited access to it. Each installation is site-specific, rooted in place, and designed to create moments of stillness, awareness, and stewardship.
CODAsummit gave me the means to see what others were capable of in the public art world, and as someone who has often been behind-the-scenes, I feel grateful for this opportunity to approach the stage. It has offered community, visibility, and a platform to grow. For that, I am deeply grateful.
If you would like to collaborate, you can reach me at hoot@owley.studio.
Forget not the natural world. It is speaking—if we allow ourselves to listen.