Torn canvas artworks combined with animal portraiture depicts endangered species. Just as the species represented are disappearing from our world, these portraits are hanging by a thread and fading into non-representation.
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As of May 2016, a total of 1,367 species of animals have been listed as endangered or threatened. By October 16th, that count had already increased by 7. From habitat destruction to poaching, the natural populations of our natural world are shrinking. In the last 35 years, 23 species have disappeared forever.
Naively, I set out to paint all of the animals that had been declared endangered in my lifetime. However, I had to surrender to the sad fact that “there are too many.” Given my shock at the extent of these numbers, my hope is that this project will increase awareness. For the last several years, my work has involved a distinct process of destruction. I create a painting on canvas, and then tear that canvas into strips. The destroyed painting then becomes the fabric of something else. Prior to that, my work had become recognized by the realism of animal portraiture on wood. This series has developed as a marriage of my two styles.
