Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) commissioned local artist Juliana Smith to create a custom piece of art that features the plants and wildlife in the Ogeechee River watershed.
"For me, working on a piece representing an entire river was a welcome challenge,” said Smith. “As a naturalist, I recognize that an ecosystem is the sum of its parts and enjoy drawing connections between and amongst them."
The linocut art is entitled 'Blackwater Barons', and includes artwork of the Ogeechee lime tree, spider lilies, white ibis, bald-faced hornet, cypress knees, American alligator, robust redhorse and redbreast sunfish.
Smith is a local artist dedicated to spreading knowledge about the organisms we share our home with and encouraging outdoor exploration.
She is a naturalist for an environmental education non-profit in the South Carolina Lowcountry where she shares experiences and information about our native flora and fauna with others.
Though she is particularly drawn to birds, bugs, and wildflowers, she finds fascination in all wild things and spends endless hours observing, studying and illustrating them.
"To develop this piece, I relied heavily on the guidance of the riverkeeper to make sure I knew its iconic inhabitants. Through them I was introduced to the namesake tupelo and robust redhorse - both of which play huge roles in the piece, just as they do in the river,” Smith said.
The linocut prints are signed and numbered by the artist, and can be purchased by making a minimum donation of $500 to ORK.
In the future, ORK plans to also offer merchandise, such as t-shirts and totes. To donate and receive a print, click here. For more information about Smith, click here.
