Biodiversity is a project that artist Nathan Couser and I have begun as a way to bring about unity in the arts. Anyone who looked at us in terms of stereotypes and demographics would think that we couldn't be more different. Nate is an African American artist making brilliant, messy abstract works, while I am a white nature photographer and photo illustrator whose work is more sedate and literal.

But when Nate and I talk about art, nature, and life, it becomes obvious just how superficial our differences are. We realized that we had struck upon an opportunity to use art to show a universal truth about being human.

We began to speak about art and nature as universal languages, uniting people across perceived boundaries of race and gender stereotypes, and even preconceptions people might have about artists with radically different styles working together.

We chose the name "Biodiversity" because it is a buzzword in the environmental conservation community. It was appropriate for the nature themes. "Bio" for nature and vibrant life, and then "diversity" for different ideas and different people coming together in beautiful ways.

I have always made a point of pushing the limits of photography, so I also welcomed another opportunity to test the boundaries of my medium. Some work will be digital combinations of separate works by Nate and myself; some will give Nate a chance to layer paint and mixed media on top of my photographs. We are also planning a video or sequence of stills that will show layer upon layer of our radically different styles building something completely new. We want to create a show with strong visual impact, with diverse things coming together in unexpected ways, starkly different but beautifully harmonious.

One of the most interesting parts of this narrative is that while we plan an exhibition as a statement about unity, our biggest challenge is living a mere seven miles apart. I live in Baltimore County, and Nate lives in Baltimore City. Given how difficult this makes coordinating the work, seven miles of road might as well be an ocean. It feels like a physical representation of idealogical challenges that we intend to address, and we'll have that story to tell long after we overcome.