Invasive, 2024: Shard 1 detail

At the beginning of a new series of work that I am tentatively calling "Invasive". Something about human reaction to the effects of climate change. In this case, an invasive disease carrying mosquito coming north as the climate warms.

Shard 1, 2024

Two sets of mosquitoes. 10 elements. Carbon and coloured pencil, spray paint through hand cut stencils About 8 ft tall x 6 ft wide.

Mosquito Stencil 1

One of the hand cut stencils used to produce the mosquito image. Haven't shown my actual stencils for quite some time. Now part of the complete image.

About 22 inches in diameter. Hand cut from Stonehenge paper.

Floral stencil 2

The stencil used to make the floral patter at the bottom of the image. About 22 x 30, hand cut from Stonehenge Paper

Shard 2, 2024

Featuring mutated blue marbled cray fish. Apparently the current darling of exotic aquarium owners. Except they reproduce by cloning. If you have one, you will soon have thousands. Released into the wild they dominate our native cray fish.

Underwater Stencil Upper

The stencil used to make the lily pad patter at the top of the image. About 22 x 30, hand cut from Stonehenge Paper

Underwater Stencil Lower

The stencil used to make the lily pad patter at the bottom of the image. About 22 x 30, hand cut from Stonehenge Paper

Shard 3, 2024

Featuring hammer headed worms. Yes, they do exist. As invaders they dissolve our natural round worms with a soup of toxic acid and then slurp them up.

Shard 3, worm stencil detail

One of the stencils I used to create the worms, now integrated as part of the image in its own right

Shard 3, detail, upper worm

shows the mixture of drawing and shifting stencils collaged together and then sanded

Shard 3, detail, lower worm

Apparently, hammer headed worms like it moist. So, I created some underground pools for them. After all, if I was a hammer headed worm this is where I would like to live.

Shard 3, detail, pipes

A close up of the stenciled image of some of the pipes flooding the underground pool.

Shard 3, detail, stencil of upper roots

Some of the stencils can get to be quite involved to cut out. No matter, I just cut away and listen to the Leafs lose. Very soothing

Shards 1, 2, & 3

A digital mock up of how these shards might look on the wall. About 8 ft tall and 24 feet wide.

Shard 5, 2024

This time the invasive species is Chinese Mystery Snails. My brother found some in the bay at our family cottage. I don't know why "Chinese" or "mystery" but they are at least 3 times of our "native" snails

Snail background stencil, lower

Another cut stencil based on the rocks and plants around our koi pond - just outside my studio

Shard 5, detail lower

Having never personally seen a Chinese Mystery snail, I felt no constraints in imagining what they might look like.

Shard 5, snail stencil

Shard 5, Murder Hornets, 2024

A classic "invader" - murder hornets - who may or may not deserve the name.

Shard 5, detail stencil Murder Hornet #1

Shard 5, lower detail

Shard 5, upper detail

Shard 5, detail stencil Murder Hornet #2

Hornet nest stencil

Gerbers, 2024

Thinking about the catastrophic effects of human intervention on climate change is just so stressful. So, changing to imagery that provides some relief - where I can do what I can to help out. My garden oasis. An outdoor potted plant vigourously growing regardless. More drawings in this direction to come

Charcoal, carbon and coloured pencils on gently abused paper. Each sheet 22 in x 30 in.