Downriver with Lauren Sarantopulos
November brings this wonderful exhibition by Lauren Sarantopulos, Downriver: Wanderings through the Grand Canyon. As river season comes to a wind down, First Friday art walk was such a blast with artists, river community and lovers of the canyon all admiring this beautiful collection of artwork.
“Downriver: Wanderings Through the Grand Canyon” is my love letter to the Grand, and to everything she has taught me. The collection strives to encapsulate a moment on the river, among the wild inhabitants that call the canyon and the river that runs through it home, Lauren’s artist statement for the featured exhibition.
Downriver is a collection of paintings, cyanotypes, digital art and hand-painted oars. A feast for the eyes, you can feel the magic of the canyon through these pieces. And the oars, what stories they could tell having traveled down the Colorado River over 50 times.
We got to ask Lauren a few questions about her work and this collection.
On the Oars, Painting by Lauren Sarantopulos
What inspires you most about being downriver, in the Grand Canyon?
LS - There is something about being inside the Grand Canyon, hundreds of of miles from civilization, drifting on the back of the Colorado, that is deeply moving. As the river pushes you deeper into the canyon, it pushes you deeper into the core of yourself. As the noise of the outside world disappears, you can suddenly hear the rhythm of the wild beating closer to the surface. My time spent downriver was the closest I’ve come to truly feeling one with the natural world because in the canyon you must submit to the wild. Its a truly magical feeling that draws you back again and again.
How did you begin your love for art?
LS - I grew up in a very creative family, so my love for painting began at a very young age. My mother is an artist herself, and she has fostered my drive to create since I could hold a brush. Over the years I experimented with several styles including abstract and pop art, but it was my love of the outdoors that drew me to painting wildlife. I was lucky to grow up in Wyoming with many of the animals I chose as subjects, such as bears, owls, and elk, living right outside my door. I could observe their behavior and interactions in the wild, then head back to my studio and capture it on canvas- to me, there’s really no better feeling than that. Today, living and working in some of the most remote areas of the Southwest, it is exciting to have a whole new ecosystem to observe and learn from.
Secrets of the Side Canyon, Painting by Lauren Sarantopulos
You art focuses primarily on wildlife, do you have one animal that you are most fond of? Or perhaps a spirit animal?
LS - I have always been drawn to owls, and although they are not a part of this show, they often make their way into my work. If I had to choose one species barn owls are definitely my favorite to paint, with their glowing white feathers and moon-like faces. For me, they seem to embody the mystery and ancient-knowledge that is exuded by the natural world.
How do you connect art and science, do you see the importance of the relationship of the two?
LS - The fusion of art and science is a key part of why I chose to attend NAU for environmental biology. As a wildlife artist, I strive to convey the importance of wildlife conservation through my work, and felt I needed to better understand the research behind the environmental issues I am trying to raise awareness for. Art is a universal language, and can be interpreted across our divergences. Science is at times difficult to understand, with many findings ending up buried in scientific papers laden with complicated terms and graphs. By striving to convey important findings with art as an added element, science has the potential to reach and be noticed by a much wider audience.
What can people expect from the new collection, Downriver? How did this collection come to be?
LS - About a year ago I launched on my first Grand Canyon river trip as a scientist with the U.S. Geological Society (USGS); I had no idea my time spent on the river would impact me so meaningfully. The Downriver collection is my love letter to the Grand and to everything she has taught me. The collection strives to encapsulate a moment on the Colorado- capturing the magic of the river and the wildlife that call the canyon home.
Downriver is on display at The HeArt Box in downtown Flagstaff from November 5th - 27th, 2021. You can learn more about Lauren at https://www.laurensarantopulos.com/.
Humpback Chubs on Oar, Lauren Sarantopulos