CREATORS – Juan Travieso

Name: Juan Travieso

Which came first in your life, the science or the art?

I believe that they are inter-related and therefore came at the same time. My ability to see nature and try to understand it goes hand in hand with my necessity to draw at an early age. I always wanted to capture the world and catalogue it. Drawing seemed the right tool and skill necessary for this task. They are the perfect match. I was always curious as a kid on how nature worked and how we where all in a complex way related to it. My exploration on both fields will take the rest of my life to really understand but I willing to do whatever it takes to learn as much a possible about the fields.

Which sciences relate to your art practice?

I would say Ornithology, Conservation Biology, Ethology, and Zoology.

What do you use to create your artworks?

I use mostly acrylic paint, oil paint, Micron pens, tape, and wood panels along with Yupo a Japanese paper.

Artwork/Exhibition you are most proud of?

The piece that I am most proud of is The Monument. Is a piece about the Javan tiger which went extinct in the island of Java in 1976. The show I am most proud of is my show at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida. It was titled the Florida Prize.

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

We live in a very fragile but gorgeous world filled with biodiversity and richness. We have to as the dominant species try to preserve and respect our environment. The answers to all of our questions are available to us if we are patient enough and work together as a people to understand our purpose. Our mission should be to enrich and enhance the world not destroy it. Art and Science are ways to help and educate people about our world.

About the Author

Alex Pedersen

Alex is a critical scholar and social scientist. During her degrees, Alex recognized a dearth of knowledge transfer between the academy and the general public. To address this gap, she extends her empirical research through multiple mediums including: publications, formal lectures, public speaking events, radio, theatre and photography. In diversifying access to her research, Alex honed a unique set of skills to plan, design and produce events for a wide variety of audiences. To date, she was responsible for several successful lecture series, community events and fundraisers across diverse settings. Most notably, Alex organized and implemented the 2015 Chancellor Dunning Trust Lectureship and was an advisor for the “Free Queen’s” Steering Committee (an initiative encouraging graduates to bring their work to the wider public). In addition, she has written numerous successful grant applications. An activist at heart, Alex advocates for critical thinking in and beyond academic institutions.