In an earlier post, I wrote about working as a ghost painter for a local illustrator. When I came into his studio, he was on the very tail end of completing the “disaster” images for the Johnstown Flood Museum. I didn’t get to work on it much but I did get to mix some colors and identify some good reference for some details. Not in my wildest dreams would I have then imagined I’d end up doing contract work for the National Parks as a seasoned illustrator.

In 2017, the art director for the Park’s educational and materials development branch emailed and asked me to submit a bid on the brochure art for the Russell Cave National Monument. (She found me from my listing in the Directory of Illustration.) Russell Cave is part of the vast cave system in Alabama which stretches down from the Ozarks and includes famous caves like Mammoth Cave. What makes it an important site is that it’s an active archaeological dig where researchers have found (and continue to find) remains and artifacts of native, archaic humans. Generations of families lived in this cave continuously from around 14,000 BC.

In order to bid on the project I had to submit a ton of info to the federal government— a torturous and whirlwind vetting and account setting-up to become a contractor. After I won the bid, I had to quickly arrange a flight to Alabama and meet the AD and the archaeologists at the site.

The cave is freaking huge.

The mouth of the cave is 50 feet high from the ground. It’s been carved by centuries of water flowing into the cave. There’s a significant temperature difference from the ridge down to the mouth— a drop from 90 deg F (I was there in June) to about 50 deg F, the temperature of the Earth. Cold air emanates from the Cave and a mist forms as the warm and cold cave air mixes. As if it’s breathing.

It’s a magical place at 6 am when the sun is raking sideways, barely illuminating the rock formations. 1000 photos later and I still hadn’t absorbed its grandeur.

Later that day, in my hotel room, I came up with a quick sketch after having learned a bit about the people who would have lived there. The lead Archaologist said the matriarchs would have been the leaders of the family unit and keepers of much knowledge— of making pottery for cooking, weaving, and plant use and gathering, so I placed an older woman at the center of the grid. The continuation of the family would have been paramount for these people, so naturally, I thought a pregnant individual greeting her mate and other members would be an optimistic scene that even today’s modern visitor could relate to. The hunters’ luck of finding game and healthy children running happily to join the party gives us an optimistic outlook for this early fragile yet persistent human species. I wanted the scene to radiate joy, connection, and abundance— for indeed, we’ve always sought this our entire existence. We are built for connection.

Little did I know that until now, a pregnant woman had never been featured in one of the National Parks brochures…. which began in 1913.

A year later, after the work and brochure was completed, I learned that the art and the graphic design won an award (given across-departmentally) for best Artwork. I’m very pleased and delighted to have been a part of this amazing project— it was one of my favorites.