Guatemala Puzzle Piece
16” x 20”, acrylic on bass wood panel, 2024
A meditation on cloud forest interdependence
Created for Art Into Acres, this work celebrates Guatemala’s cloud forest biodiversity—from the Northern Emerald Toucanet to the rediscovered Jackson’s Mushroom-tongue Salamander—while underscoring the urgent need to protect these fragile, interdependent systems.
Featured in Not Too Late (2024) at Charles Moffett Gallery, New York, this work was presented in partnership with Art into Acres, with all proceeds supporting the protection of newly designated Indigenous lands in the Amazon and Guatemala.
The composition features emblematic species—the Northern Emerald Toucanet, red-eyed tree frog, and the national white nun orchid—alongside Passalid beetles honoring the research of Drs. Enio Cano and Jack Schuster. Amphibians, vital indicators of ecosystem health, are highlighted in reference to local conservation efforts that led to the rediscovery of Jackson’s Mushroom-tongue Salamander after 40 years.
While Guatemala holds the highest percentage of protected areas in Central America, its biodiversity remains at risk from deforestation, land degradation, and climate change. This work speaks to the fragility and interconnectedness of life, and the urgency of safeguarding it.
