Pencil, Charcoal, Pastels
Taylor Ann Ivester
Las Vegas, NV
Research is my first step when creating a specific collection of artworks like I have for the Mystic Osprey Gallery.
South Carolina has such a wide variety of wildlife that is vulnerable and on their way to joining the endangered list, and I really wanted to get to know these animals and showcase them.
The animals were pulled from land, sea, and sky. All of the animals are not only native to South Carolina but also not completely known automatically as natives. We tend to forget things unless we see them daily. This is the same for anyone's local wildlife in their own home town.
For example, we tend to forget the breathtaking migration of the Monarch Butterflies. They travel 3,000 miles each year chasing the warmer climates in the fall and winter.
When we see these lovely butterflies, we forget their incredible journey and the fact that they are highly impacted by climate change. Needing temperatures between 55 degrees – 70 degrees, the heat waves that hit them during their migration is killing more and more butterflies. Too much heat, equals lack of adequate food for them, which leads to a lack of pollination for plant life and that affects everyone, but the fragile monarch is impacted first.
All of these animals play an important role in the balance of life as we know it. It’s important to see them in new ways. I take this information and apply it to the work I do. I want to bring the viewer into the most beautifully deep piece of art to remind them of how amazing these animals are, and why we need to protect them.
Artist Bio: Taylor Ann Ivester
Taylor was born in January of 1989 in Warren, MI. In 1995, she moved out to Las Vegas, NV with her mother. The discovery of art lined up with her discovery of wildlife in many ways. Always fascinated by animals as a young child, it only seemed natural that when she was to get creative with drawing or writing, animals were almost always the subject.
Since April 2013, Taylor has had the honor of working with Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary in Imlay, NV. Wildlife protection is extremely important in her work and being able to be involved with an organization that saves neglected and abused animals is a true honor. A portion of revenues from Taylor’s work has gone to support Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary and WildCat Ridge Sanctuary.
In 2019 Taylor’s work was selected Artists for Conservation Exhibit in Vancouver, Canada which showcased 200 works from artists around the world and in In January of 2019, she was named 1 of 50 Artists of the Year with her work ‘Curiosity’ by Artists and Illustrators Magazine.