Ritchie is constantly researching, collecting, and exploring the natural world. Her current work evolves around an in-depth study of environmental issues, from air pollution affecting lichen, global climate change affecting sea level rise, to our dependence on plastic and the effects it has on the world’s oceans.  The artwork is a response to the research; some works simply use the issue as a starting point while other work clearly displays the concern.  Ritchie is trying to bring the beauty, mystery, and conservation of the land back into our daily focus through the image-making process.  The artwork is a way of internalizing the natural world and expressing concern.