The World of Animals
Be witness to the wild creatures that call the wildest places on earth home. I have focused on North American wildlife more than anything else, because it is my home as well.
The Misfit Gang
Coyote, Racoon, Possum and Raven
These are the underappreciated, misunderstood and despised animals that are crucial to their ecosystems.
King Of The Mountain
Primal Imprints
This was a personal challenge to myself: to create artwork without using any man-made materials. I found raspberries and elderberries on hikes, a wood piece from a wood pile and a piece of charcoal from a past wildfire. I decided to pay tribute to my favorite animal, the coyote, by using the charcoal as the paw and the berries as blood. There was already this scar feature on the left side, so that was convenient.
Song Dog
The Coyote has many different names according to its multiple characteristics and talents. Here is the name Song Dog, given by indigenous Americans and still used today by coyote “admirers”. If you’ve ever lived or camped in a forest, you’ve probably heard the hauntingly beautiful chorus of a coyote pack late at night or early in the morning. To many people, this is like the song of the coyote and they are certainly some of my favorite musicians!
Coyotl
Coyotl was the word used by the Aztecs for the animal we now call Coyote and the creature still carries a similar reputation as its ancestors did thousands of years ago.
This is a tribute to the Coyote, an animal many hate, love or just don't understand. They invoke a feeling of awe, fear, mystery and sometimes disgust. In indigenous American mythology they are often portrayed as trickster figures(or fools) and were connected to sex, magic and the act of creation. European settlers and modern farmers tried to eradicate them.
In reality, it is Americas most adaptive and resilient animal. It lives in all Eco-systems and thrives in all seasons, from snowy peaks to city streets. It survives on fresh meat, carrion, fruits and veggies..all features of this unique piece.
Mythic Coyote
A project I created to capture the enigmatic image of the coyote in North American mythology. The character of the figure is not easy to pin down: they are rebels who steal fire and share it with humans while in other stories they are like jokers who’s schemes usually come back to hurt them.
Odin’s Ravens
The Pride of the Stag
A wild stag is portrayed using abstract designs that have a bit of a northern European style. A wild stag is a symbol of pride and the antlers are a physical embodiment of pride.
Pride can be a double-edged sword. It’s a good thing to be proud of accomplishments or proud of your social group’s achievements; but as we all know, too much pride is a path to self destruction.
The Struggle of Winter
A proud stag stands in what was probably a meadow in the summertime, but is now covered in blankets of snow.
The Blue Raven
A Raven perched on a branch creates a silhouette against the dark blue night. You can see hints of blue, indigo, and violet in the Raven’s body. The Raven is a beautiful animal to behold!
Abstraction
Here is a Raven perched on a branch, created with abstract designs. Ravens and other Corvids are very intelligent and capable of what scientists call “abstract thought”.
The Watcher
“I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.” - Edgar Allen Poe
Ravens are very clever and intelligent animals, smarter than some primates even. Experts believe they have the ability to think, plan and remember locations & faces. They love to play also, whether it’s with each other or with random objects they find.
As a child, I loved to watch Ravens and study their behavior; and I imagined I could communicate with them.
I created this in the autumn so I wanted to use the colors of the season.
Reef
This was an interesting project and involved a lot of experimentation. I used sponges, napkins and other random objects to create a raised effect and making it a very touchable work of art.
The Moose
A colorful moose stands proud under the moonlight.
The Organic University
The natural world is magical if you have an open mind and understand that everything in nature has something to teach us. Sometimes we develop entire mythologies around these lessons and archetypes; I believe that my artwork is largely influenced by these ideas, which makes this large painting very important to me!
Unleash The Wild
I do believe that even though we have all this technology and no longer resemble the wild animals, we are deep down still an animal at the end of the day. Who’s to say it’s something to be ashamed of?
