The Wondering Eye
by artist Lois Keller
I was drawn to “Hammond’s Nature Encyclopedia of America” because of it’s simple and honest way it categorizes and explains the natural world. Earth science is so much more of a mystery to me! These little drawings share my experience of wonder while pondering each subject. I drew on top of the handsome illustrations by Walter Ferguson in a way to share the unknown elements in nature that are not always so simply explained. The charcoal and pastel just sank into the paper of the pages from the 1966 edition and seamlessly transformed the image to express that sense of mystery I feel when observing the natural world. Combining these two perspectives through this drawing/collage technique each picture creates a new perspective on each subject.
Each picture is a framed 8 ½” x 71/2” pastel and charcoal drawing on an original page from the “Nature of the World Encyclopedia” 1966 edition, $100 each.
