Victoria Carroll, Illustration class of 2021
As a senior in illustration, my practice has focused heavily on the environment with an emphasis on respecting and preserving nature, as well as exploring rural lifestyles that adjoin themselves with nature. My preferred mediums include oil, gouache, and digital painting with patterned designs and a heavy focus on color relationships.
Desert ecology and its inner workings are a fascinating example of flora and fauna finding shelter in an inhospitable environment through creating symbiotic relationships. The cactus developed evolutionarily to deter any interaction with other organisms through the implementation of spines, but a number of birds have adapted to this and used this to their advantage. The cactus wren is an excellent example of an animal creating this relationship with another creature in its environment- the saguaro cactus.
My proposal for this project is creating a series of paintings illustrating the beauty of the symbiotic relationships found in North American desert ecosystems. Primarily I will be focusing on the number of birds who find shelter and resources from the native cacti to the environment.
