It has always been said that one of the most important pieces of a painting is the connection, the meaning behind it. This connection is what drawn us to a painting and inevitably what makes us want to take it home.
As an ecologist and an artist, I draw and create this connection from my personal life. I am surrounded by nature every day, whether it be my desk job, my love for animals or even just stepping outside. I have volunteered and worked internationally where I got to meet the most amazing creatures, including elephants, giraffes and a loud gibbon or two. I have learnt just how fragile our ecosystems are and the importance of supporting conservation efforts to reduce our impact on the animals we share this planet with.
That is the meaning I hope to portray through my artwork- to create a connection between the collector and the unique animals within the paintings.
My first collection started this journey with the aim of showcasing the vibrant and vulnerable creatures within the rainforest. From sloths to orangutans, jaguars and forest elephants, the collection is designed to highlight the need to protect these species.
Fast forward to my more recent pieces, I have continued to share this connection across African, Arctic and Asian habitats. “The Line That Remains” is my largest painting so far focusing on the Northern White Rhino. Gold leaf is used to represent the rustic savannah landscape whilst tribal patterns wrap around the rhino showcasing the Kenyan community and conservancy that are protecting these last 2 remaining females of the species.
How do I know the aim, the message comes across the my collectors? Sometimes we don’t know, but I recently met someone at an art fair who actually worked in the Kenyan conservancy with the last 2 Northern White Rhinos. They were so lovely and confirmed the story of conservation I was trying to portray can be seen.
As a fairly upcoming artist, this was a great confidence boost and I can’t wait to connect with you/my collectors even more going forward!
Let me know what species you would like to see in my new pieces in the comments.
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