Blue Bloods: The Atlantic Horseshoe Crabs: 2023. The art created for this show focused on the evolutionary, and ecological, significance of the Horseshoe Crab. It also addressed the medical importance of the Horseshow Crab and the adverse impact commercial use can have on crab populations and the many species of birds that depend on the lifecycle of the Horseshoe Crab.
For this show over-beaten, unpressed flax pulp, was used to created paper “beaches” in two sizes (36” x 90” and 24” x 42”). Three-dimensional life-sized representations of Horseshoe Crabs were then fashioned using molded hot-press watercolor paper and arranged on the paper beaches to simulate the crabs’ arduous mating behavior. These mating rituals occur most often at high tide around the time of the full moons of May, June and July. A table with glass receptacles, medical tubing and paper Horseshoe Crabs simulated the commercial laboratory harvesting of Horseshoe Crabs’ blood, which is used for making highly valuable medical testing reagents. An overhead mobile portrayed the wide variety of migrating shorebirds whose survival depends on the abundance of Horseshoe Crabs’ eggs during the crabs mating season. In addition to framed pieces of artwork, I included an artist’s book, Blue Bloods: A Field Guide to the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, which illustrates the anatomy and history of these creatures who predate the dinosaurs and whose fossil history is has been traced back to 450 million years ago.
For this show over-beaten, unpressed flax pulp, was used to created paper “beaches” in two sizes (36” x 90” and 24” x 42”). Three-dimensional life-sized representations of Horseshoe Crabs were then fashioned using molded hot-press watercolor paper and arranged on the paper beaches to simulate the crabs’ arduous mating behavior. These mating rituals occur most often at high tide around the time of the full moons of May, June and July. A table with glass receptacles, medical tubing and paper Horseshoe Crabs simulated the commercial laboratory harvesting of Horseshoe Crabs’ blood, which is used for making highly valuable medical testing reagents. An overhead mobile portrayed the wide variety of migrating shorebirds whose survival depends on the abundance of Horseshoe Crabs’ eggs during the crabs mating season. In addition to framed pieces of artwork, I included an artist’s book, Blue Bloods: A Field Guide to the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, which illustrates the anatomy and history of these creatures who predate the dinosaurs and whose fossil history is has been traced back to 450 million years ago.