Purposes:
To become familiar with using endangered species as an art subject
To learn about photographer, Joel Satore and painter, Anne London, as well as the highly patterned art (alebrijes) from Oaxaca, Mexico
To become acquainted with basic ceramic vocabulary
To form and paint a ceramic animal bowl that contains both imagery of an endangered or threatened species of your choice and indication of the systems around it which promote that animal’s survival.
How are you helping to respond to this project’s Essential Question with your ceramic bowl? What messages about needs for survival are you hoping viewers will see on your bowl?
I feel like the best way to spread awareness about endangered species across the United States as well as show what it takes for these creatures to survive, is to make sure that the artwork captures the facts in the creature. Whether that be what it eats, where it lives, or accentuating some of its features, a colorful and detailed piece of art can catch someone’s eye, and have them ask questions about the piece and the creature in it.
What endangered or threatened species did you choose and why did you choose it? In what state(s) is your animal found? Where does it live? Why is it endangered or threatened? What pattern(s) did you use to help describe what the animal eats and its habitat for survival?
The Lange’s Metal Mark Butterfly is a majestic creature that exclusively lives in Southern California. it is endangered because a species of invasive plant is killing off its source of food, naked stemmed buckwheat. In my artwork, I showed this by drawing the flowers that blossom on naked stemmed buckwheat in late spring and early summer, around the times where the Lange’s metalmark butterfly is most active. You might be wondering why I chose line just mental Mark butterfly, and I chose it for one reason: I liked its color scheme. I thought the contrast of white and orange depicted in most Lange’s Metal Mark Butterflies was a cool color scheme, and I wanted to put my own spin on it when making my bowl. But in doing so, I learned a lot about this beautiful butterfly, and I have developed a fondness for it. If you asked me what my favorite bug was before this project started, I probably wouldn't have an answer. But after learning so much about it, and making a painting of it, I can say with certainty that it is the Lange’s Metal Mark Butterfly.