About
Natural History Illustrator. Conservation framer. Living in Southern Ontario ...
working on the final page ...
"The Mystery of the Missing Marshmallows" © 2016 |
The ArtistI am a freelance Natural Science Illustrator with education being a blend of naturalist and scientific illustration training. I have served as author, illustrator, and editor of children’s books and educational materials, as well as artistic contributor to web sites and digital games.
Recently my work has appeared in the following international juried exhibitions: "Rendering Science - Clarity and Concepts", Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; and, "Art of the Plant", Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The imagery I create is characterized by its depth of detail and lively awareness of natural history and scientific narrative. As a communication device, I believe representational art is an elegant means of conveying complex ideas. With beautiful clarity it simultaneously inspires and educates. |
The Medium
I work both traditionally & digitally -- creating works with traditional pencils, pens & brushes on various smooth surfaces, as well as original digital works with a Wacom Cintiq & artist's software.
The Statement
I find the creative process much like a wander in the woods. As attention is focused toward the qualities of life, openness emerges and curiosity is aroused, intimacy develops into reciprocity, and a sense of story unfolds.
As a naturalist I have been trained in North American indigenous 'best practices' - to walk in a sacred manner, acknowledging with gratitude and mutual respect all that is animate between Father Sky and Mother Earth. While much of my experience with our human culture injects a sense of poverty and disconnect, when I am surrounded by the natural world, in silence and with a heart of gratitude, I am filled with a sense of contentment, belonging and value. I extend my gratitude to Jon Young for his Kamana Naturalist Training Program.
As a natural science illustrator I am responsible to employ my observational, technical and aesthetic skills toward effective visual communication. I see my vocation as a privilege, an opportunity to reciprocate with the animate world. As I gain an understanding of anatomies, functions, patterns, and inter-dependencies, I have the means to pass this understanding on to others. In so doing, it is my hope that others will be drawn to explore, to make their own connections, and ultimately to enter into reciprocal relationships with the natural world.
These days, the unfolding story is that of the complex relationships within a forest community. What is the effect of forest fragmentation on species relationships and species survival? The whole living world relies on the health of Earth’s global forest. Many species will not survive if forests are further reduced and the interwoven forest communities, unraveled. As humans, how do we offset the devastating limitations imposed by our actions? Given the nature of our human culture, how do we come to develop a viable, reciprocal relationship with this most vital, life-giving force?
As a naturalist I have been trained in North American indigenous 'best practices' - to walk in a sacred manner, acknowledging with gratitude and mutual respect all that is animate between Father Sky and Mother Earth. While much of my experience with our human culture injects a sense of poverty and disconnect, when I am surrounded by the natural world, in silence and with a heart of gratitude, I am filled with a sense of contentment, belonging and value. I extend my gratitude to Jon Young for his Kamana Naturalist Training Program.
As a natural science illustrator I am responsible to employ my observational, technical and aesthetic skills toward effective visual communication. I see my vocation as a privilege, an opportunity to reciprocate with the animate world. As I gain an understanding of anatomies, functions, patterns, and inter-dependencies, I have the means to pass this understanding on to others. In so doing, it is my hope that others will be drawn to explore, to make their own connections, and ultimately to enter into reciprocal relationships with the natural world.
These days, the unfolding story is that of the complex relationships within a forest community. What is the effect of forest fragmentation on species relationships and species survival? The whole living world relies on the health of Earth’s global forest. Many species will not survive if forests are further reduced and the interwoven forest communities, unraveled. As humans, how do we offset the devastating limitations imposed by our actions? Given the nature of our human culture, how do we come to develop a viable, reciprocal relationship with this most vital, life-giving force?