Artwork > Wildlife

I've gotten into the practice of creating one art piece for each wildlife technician position I work, focused on that particular target species. As a field technician, I spend 4 to 6 months per year with the search image of that species in mind, while scanning habitats and landscapes for their presence all season long. You bet that the particular animal's image burns into your mind, along with it's signs, tracks and movement patterns. Working as a field technician outdoors day after day can be frustrating, tiring, exhilarating and wild, but it sure beats staring at a computer screen all day in an office.

Creating an art piece inspired by the wildlife species that is the focus of my day's work is a natural outlet for all that input and attention. Usually, these particular species are also endangered, threatened or vulnerable due to a variety of reasons, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, disease, climate change and other human impacts. Hopefully this animal will stick in your mind too.

This particular species is the Five-Lined Skink, an animal I surveyed and monitored for through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.