Nature Abhors a Vacuum

 2010   19 x 12”   49 x 30.5 cm   Hand Pulled Serigraph   24 Stencils   Edition 51  Artist Proofs 6

 The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle is credited with being the first person to coin the phrase, Nature Abhors a Vacuum. It means that if a space or niche becomes empty, something will move in to fill the gap. I am having a little fun by taking an alternate interpretation on ‘Nature Abhors a Vacuum’, with the wolf standing next to the vacuum cleaner, clearly showing his contempt for the foreign object left in the forest.
The wolf is an important keystone predator, maintaining an ecosystem in its natural balance. Keystone animals are often, but not always predators. If a keystone animal is removed from an environment (causing a vacuum), some animals may initially appear to be doing well, but the environment is unstable. Herbivores will grow in number, and eventually overgraze certain areas causing erosion, and overall a less productive environment. The wolf drawing on its vital role in maintaining a good predator prey balance, is critical for a healthy ecosystem. By culling the old and sick animals, the wolf ensures that the remaining deer, elk, and moose are healthy and have good numbers for the region they inhabit. When the top predator in a region is removed, the ecosystem becomes unbalanced, it is left with a void or vacuum, and nature abhors a vacuum.

This serigraph has participated in the following International and National Exhibits;

 SCA Members Juried Exhibition, Joseph D Carrier Gallery, Columbus Centre, Toronto, ON (National) 2013
Fall/ Winter Show, The American Juried Art Salon, Plano, Texas, USA, 2013-14
The "Iosif Iser" International Contemporary Engraving Biennial Exhibition, Art Museum Prahova County, Ploiesti, Romania 2011
"On the Scene" S.C.A. Juried Exhibition, Leighton Arts Centre, Calgary AB, National 2011 * won an Award of Merit
National Women's Exhibition Spring 2011, Impact Artists Gallery, Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. 2011 * won an Honorable Mention