The Rediscovery of North America

acrylic on canvas - 16" x 16" - 1998

This painting, inspired by The Rediscovery of North America, © 1990 Barry Holstun Lopez, is one in which I explored what it might be like if animals were to view a city in the same way humans have historically approached "undiscovered" native habitats, setting about the work necessary to create a viable inhabitable community for themselves. In this instance crows are removing buildings to prepare the way for the replanting of trees, the returning of rivers, etc. I chose crows because I believed they would quite enjoy the mischief of picking up a shiny building, claiming it as their own and carrying it away.

The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, selected this image to companion a passage of Barry's writing from The Rediscovery of North America as part of their Knowing Limits project. For this, twenty authors and visual artists were paired up and given the opportunity, through use of computer technologies, to combine their mediums into poster images. These toured many of our National Parks beginning in the Spring of 2000 through 2001, in hopes of further educating people about environmental concerns.