The 2008 Wrap Project

"As economics and boundaries (try to) rule the world, I want to make a gesture to all artists. Let's make a piece of artwork together, without the limitations of age, distance, expansive travel, galleries."

- Johanna Haagsman
(creator of the wrap project)

I stumbled across the wrap project back in August 2008 and admired the idea of creating a continuous, banner like, painting that would include artist from all over the world. 3 months later (mid November), I received an email from Johanna and was invited to submit an illustration based on the previous entry of artist, Lyden Masland. I had only 2 weeks to complete and Thanksgiving was just around the corner.

I've been practicing digital painting for a future gig, but decided to keep to the analog theme. Ideas came from several places and events:

• I was invited to an annual banzai show last month and was blown away by the 50 + banzai trees that were neatly pruned and shaped. We were also treated with a critique from an Italian banzai artist that trained for several years under an actual banzai master in Japan.

• I came across a recycled binder company in Seattle called "Sustainable Group". They've got a great variety of recycled products if you're thinking of another way to help the environment.

• I've been hooked to that new Animal Planet show, "Whale Wars". Have you seen it?
  

So a question came to mind...."As we've become accustomed to living comfortable lives with the excessive use of our resources, what if the roles were reversed, and nature fought back to take it all away from us?"