Watercolor, ink, and coffee
on Arches 100% cotton hot-pressed paper
14 x 20 inches
This art piece was inspired by the patches of red-fruiting Cladonia sp., a lichen that can be found throughout Old Maid Flat, north of ZigZag Oregon.
The bug, Epidameus sp., is a tiny species of turtle mite (Oribatidae) commonly found in Northwestern Oregon’s moist forests. Turtle mites are the most common animal found in forest soil in the Pacific Northwest, reaching populations up to 500,000 live turtle mites per square meter of top soil. They play an essential role in the production of soil by breaking down dead plant material and processing nutrients.
Also, they ain’t got no eyes!
The colors for this paintings were applied using a process called “decalcomania”.
See Decalcomania for an explanation.
