Two years and still growin'
The worlds of environmentalism and illustration collided when I took the opportunity to partake in an internship to conserve the rare and endangered biodiversity of the Myristica Swamps in India through my artwork.
Conservation Project: The Myristica Swamps
"The Dark Forest"
March 2023—Present
Currently working as an intern for author Priya Ranganathan, PhD, based in Bangalore, India.
Creating digital illustrations of animal species for The Dark Forest: Exploring the Magical Myristica Swamps, a field guide to raise awareness and educate people across India about the biodiversity of the Myristica swamps.
Artworks have been featured at exhibitions, regional scientific conferences, etc. Will soon be posted on signboards around nature parks to grow visitor awareness about the fragile life in the region, and what they can do to help maintain it.
My sample digital art for The Dark Forest:
Red Helen
Small Indian Civet
Indian Leopard
Crimson Rose
Myristica Bambootail
Malabar Giant Squirrel
Myristica Jumping Frog
A Myristica Tree
Green-Fronted Pigeon
Green Imperial Pigeon
Grey Jungle Fowl
Malabar Grey Hornbill
Barking Deer (Muntjac)
Common Lascar
Gaur
Pangolin
Art by Meera Phadnis
What are the Myristica Swamps?
Primeval freshwater swamp forests in south India (Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra). The region is home to rare biodiversity and lush evergreen trees. Once thriving along the west coast, they have experienced rapid shrinkage due to habitat destruction, pollution, monoculture plantations, and an influx of invasive species.
Ms. Ranganathan's work revolves around evaluating and addressing the threats to this lush ecosystem, and understanding perspectives from the communities that depend on it for resources.
Click here to learn more about Ms. Ranganathan's work.