Designer & Illustrator
Floating Fen Preserve Sign
The first time I observed Round-leaved Sundews, they were so much smaller than I was expecting. Portraying this species on the preserve sign will give viewers a close-up look at a small but very detailed plant and invite them to look a little closer at their surroundings.
The Floating Fen Preserve is a WNY Land Conservancy Property in Chautauqua County that hosts a diverse array for species and habitats. In 2023, I was on the initial bird surveys of the property. Spending so much time at this preserve before it was open to the public helped inform my depictions of the species that live there.
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I have seen many Canada Warblers at the preserve in the Spring, and used a reference from by a local birder which was taken as I observed the bird in the photo.
I have observed the Blue Flag Iris at the fen many times. I once again used a reference image by a local naturalist who was on initial surveys with me. It's important to me to use local reference images so that I am portraying a specific local individual of a species rather than a generic representation.
American Beavers have shaped much of the land at the Floating Fen. This image's reference was pieced together from local reference images by professional photographers as well as my own snapshots from time spent in the field watching beavers.
The first time I observed Round-leaved Sundews, they were so much smaller than I was expecting. Portraying this species on the preserve sign will give viewers a close-up look at a small but very detailed plant and invite them to look a little closer at their surroundings.
This cross section of the fen is a composite of various traditionally illustrated species as well as digital rendering. This image shows the peat mat as well as the aquatic zone underneath this unique wetland feature. Species are depicted on top of the mat including high bush blueberry, cinnamon fern, round-leaved sundew, blue flag iris, and red maple.
This digitally illustrated map of the preserve shows visitors the marked trails as well as special features of the landscape such as the fen and beaver marshes. Beaver dams are also included in the large pond on the East side of the preserve. The parking lot is labeled and the map is oriented so that visitors will understand the trail system from the perspective of the parking lot.