A few years ago I attended a conservation event in a dusty school auditorium, and found myself face to face with MacArthur Grant winner David Carroll. He was dressed in faded khaki, a headband tied about his brow, looking like he had just stumbled in from the fields. This was pre-genius award, but despite the lack of official sanction, it was clear from his presentation that David Carroll is a man possessed by his work. His impassioned speech for saving turtle environments was intensely moving, and his flair for storytelling created a magical environment inside that old school. I love his illustrations, like the above image of a painted turtle from his notebooks, and was excited when a friend gave me one a few holidays ago. I particularly like to look at my spotted salamander drawing and think of him in early spring, when he wanders the backwoods and bogs of New Hampshire, watching for the first turtle to peek its nose out into the warming air.More of his work can be found here.
Posts
1 comment:
Every now and then I meet someone passionate about something or everything natural. Someone, through many hours of observation, perhaps that has learned to identify tree buds by taste, birds by ear or in David's case recognize an individual turtle by its colorful patterns of spots. I find it inspirational when that same someone is also gifted in how they share their passions and impressions such as David has done through his illustrations and stories.
Post a Comment