John Banovich - Comfort in the Trees

Zawadi Edition - 12" x 16": 350 s/n plus 35 Artist Proofs
• Limited Edition: $225
• Artist Proof: $270
• Frame AF9 - 17" x 21": $270
• Frame BA1-G: 19" x 23" - $185

"I spent a week in the Cockscomb Basin, part of a massive wildlife sanctuary in Belize, searching for jaguar. Though one of the most elusive cats in the world, jaguars, like all wildlife, leave their stories on the trails and shadows of the forest. We found so many fresh tracks and sign that it often felt as if they were watching us. At times, I knew they were. We encountered their prey—collared and white-lipped peccaries and howler monkeys—and we battled such a variety of bugs, it felt as though they were still crawling on my skin for weeks after returning home. Chaga carry dangerous diseases, and botfly larvae can grow under your skin if a mosquito passes on the eggs, proving that the hazards of pursuing the beast extend beyond sharp claws, heavy horns and massive teeth.

Jaguar habitat is declining at an alarming rate. Much of it is being cleared to plant citrus producing crops and to make room for cattle. While these other land use choices offer revenue, the jaguar offers none. If that does not change, we all lose." - John Banovich