OTSOG 013 - Black spruce (Picea mariana), 2024 Wax treated Watercolour and ink on ACP, Solid Wood Frame 20x8
Porphyry island, a small rocky island of volcanic basalt jutting out of Lake Superior, 40 km from Thunder Bay, holds a dizzying display of biodiversity. The trees drip with old man’s beard lichen (Usnea longissima) hanging down like streamers.
Wrongly thought to kill their tree hosts, Usnea spp. Lichens are actually an indicator of excellent air quality, being extremely sensitive to sulphur compounds in the air. Here, a study of a black spruce branch allows a closer look at these unique life forms
Framed in spruce wood from SPF lumber (likely Picea mariana)
