RETURN

 
A giant, surreal graphite pencil drawing shows a life-size condor, wildflowers and a grizzly bear.
 

Introduction

Graphite on Paper
7.5' x 4' (229 x 122 cm)
2017

Original drawing is available for purchase.

Contact for price.

‘Limuw | Santa Cruz Island' and 'Return,' my two largest drawings to date, grew from my fascination with the California Floristic Province, a region of incredibly high plant diversity. The CFP is the only global biodiversity hotspot found within the United States, extending from southeastern Oregon down through and including most of California and into Baja California, Mexico. In preparation for this body of work, I spent  two months reading scientific texts and four days exploring and photographing Channel Islands National Park off the coast of southern California. 'Return' highlights the fascinating fire regime of chaparral, the CFP’s most widespread form of vegetation, drawing correlations between the phoenix-like rebirth of this plant community post-fire, the return of the Condor to California, and the possible reintroduction of grizzlies to the state. Both 'Limuw | Santa Cruz Island' and 'Return' were included in my 2017 solo show Studies & Stories at Light Grey Art Lab in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pieces premiered in Portland, Oregon at a special Spotlight Exhibition at Antler Gallery.

 
A California Condor calls in a delicately illustrated graphite art piece.
A graphite wildlife art piece shows a condor chick sitting besides burning California wildflower.
A grizzly bear cub comes back to life in a dreamlike work of art.
A scientific illustration shows a condor hatchling and Peregrine Falcon sitting among wildflowers.
Art of a butterfly resting on wildflowers that spill over the outstretched wing of a condor.
A chipmunk hides in manzanita branches in a black and white graphite artwork.
 

ARTIST TALK

 2018 Artist Talk at Antler Gallery discussing Limuw | Santa Cruz Island and Return.