Redwood Secrets Revealed

I've been working on a new piece recently that incorporates a lot of subjects and features I've wanted to toy with for a while. The last couple weeks, I purposely made a poster illustration of a Redwood forest seen, complete with specific animals found in that environment that are somewhat particular to the northern California region along the Redwood Coast. 

I've come to understand that focusing on local subject matter that speaks to folks who live here is an approach to making my art that I really enjoy. It makes me feel valid and connected to my community, and I think it's because I'm relatively new here. Everything about Humboldt County is new to my eyes. And leaning into subjects that are common here, that symbolize the area, or have special meaning to the residents here feels like a good way of discovering my new world. 

So I've been taking a lot of suggestions from folks here for different bird subjects, and making a list of places to visit for inspiration. And as soon as I run out, there are always folks ready and willing to provide more ideas. 

And that's been incredibly endearing, special, and encouraging. In ways that I really needed in my life. To be honest, my spirit wasn't really in good shape when I left San Diego a little over a year ago. Relocating was an attempt at recharging myself, and it worked. I stepped into a community that welcomed me with open arms, and I felt like I'd "come home" in a lot of ways. 

So making work that speaks to and for that new home is simply a no-brainer. It's what I came here to do. 

So this new piece I've worked on, Redwood Secrets, is a logical iteration of that. It features tall redwoods against a blue sky, and vignettes four local features that make this area home.

The Marbled Murrelet is a curious bird. It's a waterfowl that nests in the tall branches of old-growth forests, tucked away on mossy branch canopies that have formed as upper branches fall upon lower branches of the trees, eventually collecting debris and forming a bit of a "patio" upon which Murrelets build their nests. They're unusual birds of small size that rocket downwards to their nests and then scoop their flightpaths upward, creating a crack of sound as they swoop up. They live their lives on the water, but breed in the tree branches. 

The Northern Red-Legged Frog comes in a variety of different color intensities, but it almost always has a pinkish rose coral tinge on the underside and the legs. I couldn't see a repetitive marking pattern that was evident to me, personally, so I illustrated what I felt would communicate the species enough. I'd never seen a reddish frog before. I think they're quite unique!

The Ensatina is a salamander, and it has a variety of species living in California. The one I picked is the Yellow-Eyed Ensatina, with lovely orange coloring that really makes it pop. 

Trillium flowers are very common along the grounds among the redwood forests here. Their unique tri-petal shape paired with a trio of leaves is quite lovely. They are gentle reminders of the quiet beauty found among the trees. 

Lastly, the Banana Slug is a Humboldt County favorite. It's as popular here with locals as the legend of Bigfoot seems to be. They can grow quite large, and their coloring seems to vary from a sage-green to bright yellow. They're quite the sight when they're discovered, and for fans of the slimy creatures they're peak Humboldt. 

So I combined all these creatures and plants into a single image, using the heavily textured Art Nouveau-styling I've come to embrace and love. I'm really happy with how it turned out. 

Then I put that image into a "posterized" format that includes a stylized rendition of the text "Redwood Secrets" below the image. I'm loving the posterized feel of it, and I think perhaps that also speaks to the residents here. Many of them are reaching retirement age and lived through the poster heydays of the 60s and 70s with its own Art Nouveau-inpired stylings. In many ways, the flowing framing of the style is very presentational, and lends itself to symbolism and the packaging of symbology. It's easy to see why Tarot cards sometimes lean into the style.  

Regardless, the poster is both a card and a new print on my shop! You can watch the speedpaint of its creation below, as well as follow links to the recorded livestreams of its creation. 

The image Print can be purchased here: https://coreyartusimagery.com/products/redwood-secrets-11x17-limited-edition-print
The Greeting Card version can be found here: https://coreyartusimagery.com/products/redwood-secrets-single-greeting-card

Onward!