Transcriber: Petra Molnárová Reviewer: David DeRuwe
When I was a conservation biology and ecology major,
I would make drawings in my notes that would help me remember
the unique qualities of species,
such as the distinct shapes of leaves,
or the differences in color patterns between female and male birds.
This is something that people have done throughout history -
using illustrations to understand and explain the natural world.
When I was beginning my research for my honors thesis project,
I wanted to use this strategy to become more familiar with an ecosystem
I was hundreds of miles away from.
I was researching the intertidal ecosystems
of the northern Gulf of California, specifically near Puerto Peñasco,
a popular tourist destination also known as Rocky Point.
These ecosystems are between the land and the sea
and are covered by water at high tide and uncovered at low tide.
This area is characterized by a unique set of environmental conditions,
and as a result,
the tide pools contain a very distinct and diverse collection of species.
When I was younger,
my family and I would often take trips down to Puerto Peñasco,
and I remember looking into the tide pools,
but I knew little about these species until college.
I was fascinated what I was learning through my research,
but because of the pandemic,
I wasn’t able to visit this area and experience it
with all the new knowledge I gained.
I couldn’t feel the sharp, irregular surface of a coquina rock,
or witness the elusive two-spotted octopus that I was writing about.
And briefly glancing at Google images of these things wasn’t really the same.
It was through capturing the unique colors,
textures and characteristics of this ecosystem and its species on paper
that I felt like I was able to develop this new, closer relationship
with this area.
I drew out every arm of the gulf sun star,
the differences between two adult forms of a species of barnacle,
and did my best to capture the brilliant green color
of the emerald coral.
My thesis director connected me
with the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans,
and I was able to create a brochure that would teach tourists
about this ecosystem.
I wanted anyone who opened this brochure to have the same connection
that I had developed with this area through my research and illustrations.
So I combined my illustrations with this storybook-like format
that I hoped would immerse visitors,
allowing them to take part in this narrative
where they’re exploring the tide pools
and learning about the colorful creatures that they’re coming across.
The brochure also included information about tide pool etiquette,
or how you can enjoy your tide pooling experience
while minimizing damage to the ecosystem.
For example, returning any rocks you looked underneath
back into their original position
or leaving shells on the beach for animals like hermit crabs.
I was hoping that once visitors became more familiar with these species
and what makes this area special,
then they’d be more conscious of their interactions with this ecosystem.
This is especially important in an area
that has suffered severe losses in biodiversity
due to a rapid increase in tourism over the past few decades.
After I completed my thesis,
I was given the incredible opportunity to visit Puerto Peñasco
and paint a mural based off the content of the brochure.
This mural will be located in a public beach access walkway,
and I knew that people will be passing it on the way down to explore the tide pools,
so I wanted it to be a billboard for the species they might see,
but I also wanted it to reflect
the special relationship that people have with this area.
In the center of the piece,
I painted a mother and a daughter looking into the tide pool,
connecting through their curiosity and exploration of this ecosystem.
While I was painting, some local people stopped to tell me
that this is the image they see every day, looking out at the ocean,
and that it really captured what this area means to them.
The mural represented not only the features and the species
of the Puerto Peñasco rocky intertidal ecosystems,
but also the meaningful interactions that we have with nature,
and it’s through these kinds of interactions with ecosystems
that we understand our need, as well as our responsibility,
to protect them.
Doing this project allowed me to realize how we can use art
or illustrations beyond just helping us understand and explain the natural world.
It can allow us to form a closer connection with the subject,
as well as give us the opportunity to reflect
on our shared experiences with nature,
encouraging us to take the necessary actions
towards its conservation.
Thank you.
(Applause)