New Series – “Our Changing Planet”

January 20th 2022 –

Earlier this month, just after the calendar flipped to 2022, I decided to broaden my artistic range of subjects and create a series of large, wax-based paintings on poster board. I call this series “Our Changing Planet” and will be adding 6 new works to the existing 6 over the next several months in a new section of my art website. 

The series started with an expressionistic piece called, “Dragonfly Sunset” which provides a glimpse of just one of the large number of “indicator species” that have witnessed significant losses of population. Next was “carbon vault”- my take on the value of “proforestation” , a practice which recognizes old growth forests (and trees well over fifty years old) as better carbon sinks than younger fast growing trees. 

Another of my paintings is entitled “Remembering Ross” which depicts the Ross Ice Shelf of Western Antarctica. Half a mile high and the size of France, some portions are melting at an accelerating rate and immense tunnels that look like caves from the shoreline are releasing ice melt from deep inside this massive ancient structure.

The wax-based painting “Jellyfish” reflects on the fact that, while rising ocean temperatures and overfishing are devastating already threatened sea life, there is an opposite but equally detrimental effect on jellyfish as populations grow at explosive rates and upset the delicate balance of ocean ecosystems.

“Kelp Reforestation” is another painting in this series and, being an important staple of many NW coast peoples, the continuing loss of the kelp forests from northern California up into British Columbia is just one in a series of cascading events precipitated by warming oceans. In this painting I attempt to heighten awareness that, as bacteria loads increase, starfish populations decline and the feeding habits of sea urchin change to devouring the living kelp forests themselves.

Like the old growth forests, I believe we can work together to save these kelp forests, as well as the complex webs of life they support. All the works in the “Our Changing Planet” series communicate my concerns and address our common interest in essential and achievable conservation efforts.