Biotic Blueprints

Inspired and Inspiring Visions by Asher Jay

Made of Coral Clusters – Mixed Media Painting by Asher Jay, Dimensions of original 36” x 54.” The giant, demure RhincodonTypus is a filter feeder and they mean us no harm, yet we slay these magnificent large fish for their fins and we pollute their habitat to such an appalling degree with our daily choices that they spend their hours sieving more plastic than zooplankton out of the blue. We need to put a price on life and ban the bounty on death! Life should be worth more than death, yet this is not the case, extinction has gotten to be such an implicit part of our schematic that we fuel our lives with death in the form of fossil fuels. We need to reformat our thinking and reboot our systems so we are more functional the second time around.

Fallen Night Sky – Mixed Media Painting by Asher Jay, Dimensions of original 36” x 54” This artwork portrays a whale shark suspended by the solitude and silence of the abyss. Against the pitch its distinct markings recreate the dark canvas pricked by pinholes of light that we scour daily for the meaning of life, when truly all the answers of creation and the universe lay hidden beneath the shifting surface of the blue. This gentle giant, a swirling cluster of star stories, is now facing the threat of extinction during the anthropocence, an era ruled by man and devoid of celestial charm.

Torn Asunder – Mixed Media Painting by Asher Jay Dimensions of original 36” 54”. When we pursue one path we let go of another, but we do not see this, which results in conflict within our own processes, because everything comes at the cost of something and not EVERYTHING can BE at once. Our planet is a limited resource, it does not occupy infinite space and it does not contain infinite life forms within its expanse. One thing has to die to make room for another that desperately wants to occupy its niche, the question is, do we know what we are giving up to get what we think we want? We are clawing at the very fabric of life that bears us in its weave, if the fabric rips due to our negligence and aggressive avarice, we too shall come undone.

Ode To The Giant Cuttle Fish an artwork by Asher Jay, Mixed Media artwork: Background created as a reverse painting on Plexi. Dimensions 24”x 30”I have been in love with Cuttlefish for the longest while, for they are the most fascinating creatures, incredibly intelligent beings for the fact that they are "molluscs." The Giant Australian Cuttlefish in specific is the most extraordinary cephalopod to encounter, its alien countenance and inimitable ability to mimic and blend in to its immediate environment is utterly magical and hypnotizing to witness whether on video or in person.

They congregate along the rocky coasts of Whyalla between May and August to copulate and lay eggs. This marks the end of their lifecycle and makes way for the next generation of tentacledgiants; however their numbers have been dropping at an alarming rate over the past three years. They are now incredibly threatened and may not survive to embrace another season. The loss of this species will not only cause a massive hiatus in the ecology of Australian waters but also be a painful loss to earth's aesthetic diversity. This otherworldly dynamic, interactive, living artwork cannot be reproduced by the best of us, not even by the most technologically adept artists, and it will be gone forever if we do not act now! We should do everything in our power to raise the alarms and conserve this magnificent species.

Gill Net Ghosts a mixed media artwork by Asher Jay, Dimensions 24”x30” Urgent action needed to protect the last of the Maui Dolphins, their count has diminished deplorably due to unregulated fishing practices that have high by-catch mortality rates! New Zealand’s policy makers have yet to take concrete steps to ban the use of Gill Nets and Trawlers in the Maui dolphins’ habitat range.

Asphyxiation X-Ray Mixed Media Artwork by Asher Jay, Dimensions 16” x 20” Work created to shed light on Chris Jordan's efforts to raise awareness about the albatross populations inhabiting the Midway and Kure Atolls that are dying out due to malnourishment and plastic congested stomachs. This horrifying reality is but one consequence of our consumer choices; a lot of our post-consumer synthetic waste ends up in the blue, and in the bellies of wildlife. Kindly watch The Midway Journey film, pending release in fall 2012.

The PlasticSoup mixed media artwork by Asher Jay, dimensions 24” x 36”examines the impact of humanity's daily consumer choices on marine ecosystems. Set in a coral reef, this succinct narrative shines a light on the gradual denudation of a habitat rich in biodiversity due to our current, irreverent use-and-throw, gas-guzzling paradigm of subsistence. A plastic bag seems innocuous enough in a supermarket but in the wild ocean, its shimmering sheath teases the appetites of sea turtles and fish, choking their digestive tracts over a sustained period of time, depriving them of vital nutrition. The obvious solution is to assume unequivocal ownership of the undulating blue, a natural global asset, for if we fail to embrace our responsibility as custodians of this blue marble, we stand to lose our own story.

Transparent Sea by Asher Jay, mixed media artwork by Asher Jay, dimension 24” x 36” When I went snorkeling and scuba diving off of Agatti, the now degenerate atolls that are a part of the Lakshadweep islands off the coast of India, I saw an abundance of litter lining the ocean floor, and their considerable population of sea turtles gorging on the garbage daily. It pained me immensely to see these green waters without a green voice. I created this work and launched The United Flotsam of Garbagea (www.garbagea.com) to shed a light on this issue. So many people ask for plastic daily, and it is having an unforgivable impact on our planet, specifically our marine ecosystems! Carry a cloth tote with you at all times, or one of those MoMa bags that folds away into a tiny pouch...but join me in saying No to plastic starting now!

Blue on the Brain, a Mixed Media artwork by Asher Jay, dimensions 18” x 36”

“If we were more inclusive and loved the

ocean more,

we would say no to fossil fuels and drilling

off-shore

we wouldn’t slaughter seals for fur, or

sharks for fins

we'd realize with the 6th Mass Extinction,

no one wins.”

-Asher Jay

Cut Throat Captivity graphic artwork by Asher Jay, dimensions 24” x 30” This piece was inspired by 'The Cove' (movie), and by the following quote:

“No aquarium, no tank in a marine land, however spacious

it may be, can begin to duplicate the conditions of the sea.

And no dolphin who inhabits one of those aquariums or one

of those marine lands can be considered normal.”

-Jacques Yves Cousteau

Within The Depths of a Blue’s Eye by Asher Jay, a graphic artwork by Asher Jay, dimensions 24” x 36” We stand to lose true blues, the largest animals that have ever existed on earth (they can grow up to 100 ft long). Their populations are so dangerously low that they have begun cross-breeding with Fin Whales; the second largest whale on earth (grows up to 80 feet long).

Fin Soup Slaughter a graphic artwork by Asher Jay dimensions 24” x 30” A visual documentation of global trade in Shark fins, and China's role in this barbarous unsustainable industry. Shark fins are not just used for the shark fin soup in Asian restaurants (both in Asia and in any other continents). They are also used for making shark cartilage pills that are sold in many places, including eBay and are available for global distribution.

No Way Out an original Mixed Media painting by Asher Jay, dimensions 16” x 20” In our eagerness to overcome impediments and achieve at any cost, we always accurately plot a way in, but we are seldom in a position to calculate a way out. We underestimate the cumulative dissonance caused by our actions. Money cannot fuel life, and it cannot be our primary focus for the long haul. The blades of grass are photographs of pennies, symbolic of consumerism.

Where Do We Draw the Line? A mixed Media painting by Asher Jay, dimensions 16” x 20” This work reflects upon the impact of foreign investment in Africa and the influence first-world cities have on Kenya’s current aspirations for industrial development. It invites the viewer to speculate the true cost of modernization and the immense strain such growth will place on Kenyan Wildlife. A combination of major city grids and Kenyan roadways create the background pattern that merges with the striations of the zebra.

Banded Grid Symbiosis, Mixed Media painting by Asher Jay, dimensions 16” x 20” This work depicts the fragile relationship between the natural world and human hubris. Our exploits do not stop at merely overlapping and intersecting with the natural domain, our activities completely trespass and claim what safety havens they have left. The zebra bands diffuse into the grid to metaphorically render interconnectivity and highlight the need for a symbiotic interface.

In the Blink of an Elephant Eye, mixed media painting by Asher Jay Dimensions 16” x 20” Industrialization, lax regulations, littering, poor waste management, habitat destruction, encroachment, poaching, and violation of park laws by ignorant tourists are just some of the pressing problems in need of immediate address in the Savannah.

We have to act now, to save tomorrow, or we stand to lose everything in the blink of an elephant's eye.

Barely Casting Shadows, mixed media painting by Asher Jay, Dimensions 16” x 20” These pheasants scuttle past sightings and safari vehicles allowing tourists only brief glimpses of their printed plumage. "Barely Casting Shadows" address the life spans of all African wildlife, and the expedited rate of extinction in today's world.

Bare White North, Mixed media fabric collage painting by Asher Jay, Dimensions 18” x 36” Because if they go, it is only a matter of time before it is our turn! Extinction is an all or nothing game, and make no mistake it is forever. If you didn't understand eternity through religion maybe it’s time you embraced it through reality.

55 and Counting a graphic artwork by Asher Jay 24” x 30” The Maui Dolphin is on the verge of going extinct, due to negligent fishing practices with high by-catch mortality rates. Trawling and gill nets have brought Maui Dolphin numbers from 111 in 2005 to an alarmingly meager population of 55 in 2012. With only 20 females left in the wild, it has become apparent that drastic measures need to be instituted to save this sentient species from being wiped off the face of this planet.

Interdependent Network of Intelligence, a graphic artwork by Asher Jay, dimensions 24” x 30.” The basis of animal rights is the recognition that animals are sentient beings. This implies that animals including humans are all capable of being aware of sensations and emotions, of feeling pain and suffering, and of experiencing a state of well-being.

This work shines a light on the matrix of intelligence that helps us connect to one another and see past our differences to appreciate the underlying pulse that unites all life.

More exhibits coming to both our online gallery

and library…

• Check back frequently to see what’s new!• Have art or literature to share in our online exhibit space? Let us know!