Biotic Crisis: Wisconsin Endangered Dwarf Lake Iris IV

CV Peterson

Mixed media painting: watercolor, ink gouache, mulberry paper, Yupo paper, wood panel

“At the heart of my practice is a deep connection to nature, shaped by scientific inquiry and a desire to highlight the delicate balance of our ecosystems. My work draws particular inspiration from endangered regional flora—plants that are often overlooked, yet vital to the environments they inhabit. In my Biotic Crisis series, I focus on endangered Wisconsin plant species such as the Dwarf Lake Iris and Cut-leaf Anemone. These flowers appear in my mixed-media paintings as quiet but persistent presences—set against swirling, nearly oppressive fields of color that evoke the chaos and instability of the modern world. Despite this turmoil, the flowers struggle through, symbols of resilience amid destruction. Interwoven throughout the compositions are thin white lines, representing humanity’s desire to control, wrangle, or tie back the disorder we’ve created. These lines are ultimately futile—restraining nothing—but they reflect our conflicted relationship with nature. Even in the face of this ineffective intervention, the flowers persist, pushing through with quiet strength. These delicate species are easy to overlook, but once they disappear, their absence leaves a palpable void. My work invites viewers to notice what is so often unseen—to reflect on the loss of biodiversity not as an abstraction, but as an emotional and ecological rupture. Through painting, I seek to provoke a sense of reverence, awareness, and urgency around the need to protect what remains of our natural world.”

Size: 24″ x 24″
Price: $725

Contact melanyb@eauclaire.lib.wi.us for details.