©2024 Maddy Konze. Please do not use image without permission from the artist.
12 x 18 inches
Digital
In Collaboration with Holly Embke, USGS Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
The living fossils of our time, lake sturgeon have importance to our environment as well as to Native people in their cultural ties. They are significant to Native people in the Great Lakes area, with the Menominee people being one they are culturally integral to. They spawn and live in clear waters, helping us gauge the health of the ecosystem around them. They are resilient creatures that have lived for more than 260 million years. However, climate change has greatly impacted their populations. These would be issues such as rising temperatures, decreasing ice cover, and increasing precipitation to name a few. With various symbols of Native peoples and climate change, my hope is to show the connection of these fish to its roots, and highlight the impact of our current environment. Using bold color, I wanted to bring a sense of cultural pride while keeping my use of simple organic shapes to build form. My time working alongside Holly was an amazing experience for both learning and creating.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
I’m currently a hobbyist illustrator with a passion for digital art. My style aims to have a cohesive color palette and simple composition to break down forms into their most simple shapes. A lot of my work centers around nature, predominately birds, and I enjoy being out in the wilderness myself. Having recently moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, I’m hoping to continue to find my inspiration for my work by looking at the world around me.
Instagram: mado.mii
ABOUT THE WATER PARTNER
Holly Embke is a Research Fish Biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center. Her research aims to support self-sustaining inland fish communities in a changing climate across a range of scales. Her work is collaborative and informs the conservation of inland fishes by working directly with partners to address areas of concern and develop adaptation strategies. Holly grew up in Eau Claire, WI, received her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and currently lives in Minneapolis.
MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUPPORT FROM
