Sanctuary - 3/20/20 to 4/17/20 at The Art Studio Inc. in Beaumont, TX

“...I could see enough variety of trees and plants and flowers, of dappled glade and murky swamp, to know that I was witness to unusual minglings of nature.” -William A. Owens 

Sanctuary is an artistic and scientific study of a place I love - a place to be quiet and surrounded by nature, to observe and be inspired. Each piece in this show was born from observations made of life in the incredible ecosystem preserved at the Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary in Silsbee. There, yucca and prickly pear grow alongside orchids and violets. Cypress and tupelo swamps meet deciduous forest. A walk under the towering longleafs of the pine savannah leads to an acid bog-baygall, harboring carnivorous plants and fragrant red bay magnolias.

Sanctuary offers a window into the natural beauty of the Ecological Big Thicket and encourages a greater connection and understanding between us and the natural world. 

All observations and artwork for Sanctuary were made between January and March 2020. During this cool and dark time of the year, my eye was drawn to abundant fungi and the “bare bones” of the place: trees, grasses, cypress knees and enormous pine cones. Curiosity and science are important parts of Sanctuary, so I have provided some information alongside the artwork that has resulted from my study. Additionally, I have documented over 130 observations of species found in Sandylands on iNaturalist.org, contributing to research-grade data on the ecosystem.