Charcoal/Graphite on archival paper mounted on board
12 inch diameter
Catherine Ruane lives and works in the California desert, inspired by the natural world, she draws with charcoal and graphite. Her artworks are collected and exhibited internationally including in Italy, Sweden, Japan, and the U.S. at the San Diego Fine Arts Museum, Riverside Art Museum, Oceanside Art Museum, San Luis Obispo Art Museum and Museum of Art and History. catherineruane.com, @catherineruaneart
I grew up in a desert and by the time I was a teenager I hated the desert and couldn’t wait to move away, never to return. Years later I became aware of the adage, “never say never”. Now that I am older and a tiny bit wiser, I feel privileged to live in this mostly wild place. Like my fellow desert-inhabitants we know this eco-system is a good example of resilience and persistence. Up to this point in time most plants and most animals have lived symbiotically insuring survival for all. The ancient Joshua tree, one of the most magnificent creatures of the desert is now experiencing the perils of climate change and careless development. Our desert champion is dying.
My contribution to this exhibition is to honor our native garden featuring a tree that has thrived on these very lands long before recorded history.