Endangered Species II:
The Raven Cries
Endangered and extinct animals are becoming an image, an idea, and an issue of continuing significance in my current work, where the experience of art becomes a moral adventure rather than merely an aesthetic interlude.
It is my intent to stress the tensions between things that affect me directly along with the knowledge gained by reading and research, in the desire to make sense, give voice to the voiceless, challenge the very existence of contradictory states of being and put my art to work by effecting the viewers personal growth and insight as well as promoting environmental change.
My artwork reflects various segments of our world, which remain unseen and underserved while they struggle for survival in an often fearful and vanishing environment.
In each of my pieces in this series, I use the Raven, who is believed to be able to travel between life and death, as a prophet, a guardian and one to warn us. It is my intent that through narrative, metaphor and imagery that my artwork can set a collective healing in motion resulting in creating a dialogue that will hopefully lead to tolerance and understanding for those who have been invisible, disappeared, or stigmatized in our culture.
My work fulfills its potential only if an active search for meaning is undertaken by engaging the audience, increases public awareness and serves as a platform for saving our environment. My work is offered to initiate dialogues and in this way to encourage everyone to pursue a personal engagement with the art. I leave you with the following quote:
If all the green things that grow were taken from the earth,
There would be no life.
If all the four legged creatures were taken from the earth,
There would be no life.
If all the winged creatures were taken from the earth,
There would be no life.
If all our relatives who crawl and swim and live within the
earth were taken away,
There would be no life.
But if all the human beings were taken away,
life on earth would flourish,
That is how insignificant we are.
~ Russell Means, Oglala Lakota Nation
The Last Auk
The Guardian Raven
Crypt for the South Carolina Parrot
Remnants of an Industrial Farm
The Shattering of Our Golden Egg
The Bees!!! Cackles the Raven
Trophy Annihilation
Gone with the Ice
The Price of Fashion: Hummingbirds 2 Cents a Piece