Humans

In the summer of 1960 26 year-old Jane Goodall got the offer of a lifetime- to travel to Tanzania and study the chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park. As a little girl Jane became enamored of Africa and dreamt of someday going there and living amongst the wildlife. So although she lacked formal academic training, Jane immediately leapt at the offer.

Over the next 60 years Jane made more progress in the field of primatology than anyone had thought possible. Her discoveries, such as chimp’s abilities to make and use tools, not only hugely expanded our knowledge of primates, but also opened our eyes to a world in which wildlife has just as much a right to respect and life as we do.

In her later life, Jane continues to serve as a figurehead for conservation and environmentalism. The Jane Goodall Foundation is a global conservation organization with a focus on community-based solutions, and Roots and Shoots is an organization which encourages young people to participate in environmentalism and conservation. At 90 year old she travels nearly 300 days a year, giving speeches and meeting with government officials.

Having been born in 1934, Jane has experienced the full scope of what it means to be a woman in the male-dominated field of science. She has pushed through the difficulties by sheer determination, passion, and force of will, and is a powerful and beautiful example of what women can do for science, wildlife, and the world.

“The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.” - Jane Goodall

Here’s what Dr. Jane Goodall wants you to know about chimpanzees: chimpanzees, or chimps, share 95% of our DNA and are the most intelligent animals in the world after humans. They have a complex communication system using gestures, facial expressions, and various vocalizations. They’re also one of the few animals to use tools, and have been observed using rocks to crack open nuts, fishing out insects from logs with sticks, and sheltering from rain by holding up leaves.

Chimps live in large communities made up of smaller groups, like a city with suburbs. Females give birth to one chimp every five to six years, and are very nurturing mothers. Chimps show affection by embracing, holding hands, and even kissing. They “laugh” when they play, and experience a wide range of emotions.

For all their kinship with us, their population is rapidly declining. In 1990 an estimated one million chimps lived in the wild. Now, that number is down to under 300,000. In four countries they previously called home, they have completely disappeared. Illegal poaching and habitat destruction have taken a serious toll, as well as the capture of chimps for use in circuses, zoos, and as pets.

In August 1914 Ernest Shackleton departed for Antarctica on his ship the Endurance, along with 27 crew members, 69 dogs, and one cat named Mrs. Chippy (who was later discovered to be male). He intended to cross Antarctica from a base on the Weddell Sea to McMurdo Sound, and would have been the first to do so. He failed, and his journey turned into a grueling two year ordeal. And yet, Shackleton’s journey is considered one of the bravest and most astounding triumphs in polar exploration to this day. 

The difference was Shackleton himself. If anyone knows that attitude is a choice, he sure did. His relentless optimism, consideration for his crew and their morale, and continuous selfless choices made him the ultimate leader in a seemingly impossible situation. Despite the harshest and most miserable conditions imaginable, he chose to maintain this attitude and outlook every single day. Regardless of where his journey led him, this alone is reason to admire and respect Shackleton.

His beloved ship, the Endurance, was photographed trapped in the ice, frozen and slowly being crushed. The photo captures the feeling of human spirit prevailing even where nature has conquered. I drew the Endurance as it was in that photograph, eternally sailing through a calm starry sky on the back of one of the killer whales the crew often saw while on the ice. 

I think it’s a shame that it’s no longer commonplace to hire an expedition artist. The artist of the Endurance crew, George Marston, captured the emotions, moods, and otherworldly landscape in ways no photo can, and his art brings you closer to Shackleton and his men and connects you to their journey and lives in a unique and special way. I wish artists were utilized more in this aspect, because I think connection and curiosity is sparked by the emotion that art evokes. 

In October of 2023 I was an artist in residence with Hurtigruten up the coast of Norway on the MS Otto Sverdrup. Over the course of that expedition I completed an illustrated map of our journey which was auctioned off at the end by Hurtigruten to support the Children´s Foundation. 

I worked on this map in the public spaces of the ship, which allowed me to interact with the guests and share stories of their experiences and ideas of what to include. Many guests would stop by just to watch me draw, and ended up socializing with each other and bonding over the hidden details in my work.

I had a wonderful and inspiring time on the ship; creating art as well as interacting with the guests and crew, many of whom are now firm friends, and I believe that having an artist on board was enriching and enlivening for the guests.

I also really enjoyed connecting with and being inspired by the science team on the Hurtigruten cruise. As a lifelong naturalist I have always thought that art and science should go hand in hand. Science produces the facts and findings that shape our understanding of the world, and art conveys that information in all its emotional aspects. Most documentation of scientific expeditions is pretty dry, and fairly inaccessible to the average person. The only thing that really gets through is documentaries- a form of art. As a scientifically minded person with an insatiable curiosity and drive, and well as the skills and experience needed to reach the average insta-scroller, I think I could make a very good bridge between the average person and the scientific community.

If you’re not following Pattie Gonia on instagram, then you should be. While Pattie is a fabulous knockout of a drag queen, they’re much more than that. Pattie uses drag to shed a glittering light on the issues of both equality and environmentalism, taking “loud and proud” to another level.

From pattiegonia.net: “Pattie is also the co-founder of the Outdoorist Oath- a non-profit that gets BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and femmes into the outdoors through community and education. Recently, Pattie founded the Queer Outdoor and Environmental Job Board - a free tool queer individuals can use to get hired and therefore diversify the fields. Together with her community, they’ve collectively fundraised over $1.5 million dollars for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and environmental non-profits, completed thousands of miles of hiking and backpacking and raised awareness about the ongoing environmental crisis through their film projects like Wont Give Up, Birds Tell Us & Everything to Lose.”

I can’t fathom being against someone who encapsulates the importance and urgency of both equality and environmentalism as Pattie does. At the show, not one person so much as frowned at me as I pushed through the crowd to give Pattie my painting. I gave my phone to a total stranger who filmed and encouraged me like she’d known me for years. There’s nothing in that community but support, kindness, acceptance, and love.

I’ve often thought that the issues of equality and environmentalism go hand in hand. If we can’t even figure out that all humans deserve respect and equal rights, then how are we meant to figure out the climate crisis? We need to align our values the world over. We need to stand together in every possible way. People like Pattie Gonia are actively working to make that happen.

I choose adventure because of the opportunities it brings. Opportunities to have amazing experiences with friends old and new, to catch my breath at a beautiful sunrise, to learn about myself and the world around me, and to be fully present to every sight and sensation.

Adventure nurtures the soul and broadens the mind, and connects me with the natural world that I am very much a part of. I choose adventure because I choose to live fully and fiercely, to experience the earth as it is and expect nothing in return but what I allow myself to be given.

It is so, so important to stay curious. We are all born with an innate and insatiable curiosity about the world around us. As we grow older, we are distracted by adult things and problems, and most of us forget to be curious. We stop looking for fairies in the garden or troll houses in the rocks. We forget how to really look.

It’s difficult to respect and admire something you have no connection with. It’s harder still to connect with something we have forgotten how to properly look at and be curious about.

My hope is that my art encourages that curiosity, that re-learning. Wild animals and native plants hide throughout my drawings, waiting for discovery. They may not be the fairies and wood nymphs of childhood fantasy, but they’re something better. They’re here, now, and are fantastical and mystical and beautiful in their own right. There are wonders all around us in the natural world, if you only remember your curiosity and look for them.

As much as I love traveling and experiencing new cultures, the best part of artist residencies is the people. Without fail, every single group residency I’ve done has resulted in a tight-knit group of fellow artists and lifelong friends.

While the environments are endlessly inspiring, most of the inspiration comes from your fellow artists-in-residence. The exchange of ideas, creative vision, and banana bread recipes is enough to come away with a new perspective on art and life in general, especially with the wealth of different backgrounds, ages, artistic experience, cultures, and life experiences that is all conglomerated into one residency group.

I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve adventured, baked, and created art, and have been endlessly inspired by my fellow artist residents. I’m so grateful to everyone I’ve met and shared with at residencies, not just for the inspiration but for the creation of some of my best memories.

Thanks and love to my fellow residents!