welwitschia

Welwitschia mirabilis an ancient plant endemic to the Namib desert. Individual plants can grow old up to 1500 years. The plant is a wonder (mirabilis) of endurance that sprouts in thr harsh environment of the namib desert. My intention painting this plant was to show how easily defenseless live can be destroit by us ignorant humans. Live that is 15 times older than a single human being. As a smbol for the imminent danger for the plant the pied crow is approaching. The technique is encaustic. The material is only bees wax, raisin and pigments. Images painted with this technique also can endure very long. There are encaustic paintings from Aegypt that are 2000 years old and still in good condition.