Art Forms in Nature

Product: https://www.nps.gov/cabr/blogs/art-forms-in-nature-debuts-at-cabrillo.htm

Role: Curator; Author & Creative Lead

Client(s): Cabrillo National Monument

Artform: Art Exhibition; Book 

Collaborators: Michael Ready

Description: Nature showcases a unique geometry of living forms. Shape, structure, color, and pattern each play a complex role in ecological function. From large-scale ecosystems to microscopic beings, there is a unique magnificence in the complexities driven by evolution and necessity. In collaboration with nature photographer Michael Ready, the Art Forms in Nature exhibition showcases 24 fine art prints.  

Through his work, Ready's collection of images seeks to reveal the diversity of life and particularly its smaller and lesser-known forms. While possessing a background deeply rooted in natural history, Ready’s vision is divergent from typified nature photography. With an eye for rich colors, abstract patterns, and compositional mystery, the resulting images bring a sense of wonder and connection to the wild -- and to the idea that nothing is outside of nature.

“Art Forms in Nature” highlights the interplay between form and function through an artistically scientific lens. From the symmetrical rosette of the Agave, to the unique dermal scales of shark skin, each Art Form is specifically crafted for utility and efficiency. 

Art Forms in Nature debuted at Cabrillo National Monument and was later adapted for a publication entitled “Niche: The Natural Art of Form and Function.”