My reasons for making wildlife art are simple. At the time, I ran a streetfront gallery in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. People there were hard to engage, as their lives were often lacking in the need for great art. One thing I did see them hanging, aside from beer signs, were prints of wildlife, ducks and deer mostly. So my decision to address this genre was a reaction to the public appeal.

A second, more profound reason is that the nature and evolution of artwork itself is rooted in the depiction of animals. By doing the same as Shamans have done tens of thousands of years ago, my intent was to harness the same animistic forces that they were attuned to. When I use a skull in an animal sculpture, homage is paid to that creature, and a ritual is in effect performed.

The people are included for scale. Click images to enlarge