Illustrating Nature Creating Connections with Ecosystems through Art
Transcriber: Petra Molnárová
Reviewer: David DeRuwe
When I was a conservation biology
and ecology major,
I would make drawings in my notes
that would help me remember
the unique qualities of species,
such as the distinct shapes of leaves,
or the differences in color patterns
between female and male birds.
This is something that people
have done throughout history -
using illustrations to understand
and explain the natural world.
When I was beginning my research
for my honors thesis project,
I wanted to use this strategy
to become more familiar with an ecosystem
I was hundreds of miles away from.
I was researching
the intertidal ecosystems
of the northern Gulf of California,
specifically near Puerto Peñasco,
a popular tourist destination
also known as Rocky Point.
These ecosystems
are between the land and the sea
and are covered by water at high tide
and uncovered at low tide.
This area is characterized by a unique set
of environmental conditions,
and as a result,
the tide pools contain a very distinct
and diverse collection of species.
When I was younger,
my family and I would often take trips
down to Puerto Peñasco,
and I remember looking
into the tide pools,
but I knew little
about these species until college.
I was fascinated what I was learning
through my research,
but because of the pandemic,
I wasn’t able to visit this area
and experience it
with all the new knowledge I gained.
I couldn’t feel the sharp,
irregular surface of a coquina rock,
or witness the elusive two-spotted octopus
that I was writing about.
And briefly glancing at Google images
of these things wasn’t really the same.
It was through capturing
the unique colors,
textures and characteristics
of this ecosystem and its species on paper
that I felt like I was able to develop
this new, closer relationship
with this area.
I drew out every arm of the gulf sun star,
the differences between two adult forms
of a species of barnacle,
and did my best to capture
the brilliant green color
of the emerald coral.
My thesis director connected me
with the Intercultural Center
for the Study of Deserts and Oceans,
and I was able to create a brochure
that would teach tourists
about this ecosystem.
I wanted anyone who opened
this brochure to have the same connection
that I had developed with this area
through my research and illustrations.
So I combined my illustrations
with this storybook-like format
that I hoped would immerse visitors,
allowing them to take part
in this narrative
where they’re exploring the tide pools
and learning about the colorful creatures
that they’re coming across.
The brochure also included information
about tide pool etiquette,
or how you can enjoy
your tide pooling experience
while minimizing damage to the ecosystem.
For example, returning any rocks
you looked underneath
back into their original position
or leaving shells on the beach
for animals like hermit crabs.
I was hoping that once visitors
became more familiar with these species
and what makes this area special,
then they’d be more conscious
of their interactions with this ecosystem.
This is especially important in an area
that has suffered
severe losses in biodiversity
due to a rapid increase in tourism
over the past few decades.
After I completed my thesis,
I was given the incredible opportunity
to visit Puerto Peñasco
and paint a mural based
off the content of the brochure.
This mural will be located
in a public beach access walkway,
and I knew that people will be passing it
on the way down to explore the tide pools,
so I wanted it to be a billboard
for the species they might see,
but I also wanted it to reflect
the special relationship
that people have with this area.
In the center of the piece,
I painted a mother and a daughter
looking into the tide pool,
connecting through their curiosity
and exploration of this ecosystem.
While I was painting,
some local people stopped to tell me
that this is the image they see every day,
looking out at the ocean,
and that it really captured
what this area means to them.
The mural represented
not only the features and the species
of the Puerto Peñasco
rocky intertidal ecosystems,
but also the meaningful interactions
that we have with nature,
and it’s through these kinds
of interactions with ecosystems
that we understand our need,
as well as our responsibility,
to protect them.
Doing this project allowed me
to realize how we can use art
or illustrations beyond just helping us
understand and explain the natural world.
It can allow us to form
a closer connection with the subject,
as well as give us
the opportunity to reflect
on our shared experiences with nature,
encouraging us to take
the necessary actions
towards its conservation.
Thank you.
(Applause)