Watercolor and Ink
16 x 20 inches
2021-2024
This is a painting of a verdant blob of life hanging from a tree branch with a daring jumping spider (Phidippus audax) hiding from the action.
This was one of the first two decalcomania paintings I ever made, during the dark winter days the first year of Covid.
See Decalcomania
My intention was to create a painting of one of the large “blobs” of combined lichen and moss that hang from tree branches in Pacific Northwest forests.
I added the daring jumping spider after finding several in my garden. Phidippus audax are a native jumping spider species that has the personality of a curious but timid cat. With just a bit of interaction with them, their intelligence and awareness is incredibly obvious. They have a false face on their abdomen, presumably serving to trick other animals into stopping to wonder which end is the “business end” of this mildly venomous predator. These spiders cannot harm humans. We should feel blessed to have them in our space.
