ENCOUNTERS – A Series of Linocut

The goal of the project was to participate in the animal encounters at the Georgia Aquarium, meet and interview their animal trainers, and create large linocut portraits of the 7 different animals Georgia Aquarium offers encounters with: California Sea Lion, Sea Otter, Common Bottlenose Dolphin, Harbor Seal, Beluga Whale, African Penguin, and Sharks/Rays. These are 24×36″ bleed prints, and the works will be displayed at both my BFA Exit Show on April 17th, and at the Georgia Aquarium from May 10th to May 16th. I’ve been able to deepen my knowledge-of-and-connection-to ocean animals through receiving funding for the opportunity to interact directly with these sea creatures at the aquarium, and interviewing the animal trainers and education team members. There is an accompanying book I will be showing to act as a written reflection of my experience throughout this process.

“ENCOUNTERS” is the culmination of a year’s worth of planning, drawing, observing, and appreciating ocean life, through research and up-close encounters.