Growing up near the Three Rock Mountains, MacKeogh developed a deep affinity for nature, which became central to her artistic practice. Initially focused on landscapes, her work evolved during her studies at the University of Southern Illinois, where she experimented with bronze casting. However, being surrounded by untouched forests, she became increasingly aware of nature’s cycles of growth and decay. The artists felt that bronze was too disconnected from these organic processes, and she abandoned it in favor of natural materials that would change over time. She would go to a forest looking for branches, stating that ‘The forest is my natural shop’ (Dunne, 1982). Woodpiece challenges the viewer to reconsider how nature is framed and perceived. By presenting found branches within structured compositions, MacKeogh compels us to confront our relationship with the environment and the impermanence of all things.