Artist's Nature-Inspired Paintings of Life & Death Are Surreal Yet Sublime

Beautiful art can feed the soul and soothe the senses, much like how spending time outdoors in nature can help us reduce stress, expand our sense of wonder and to help us feel more alive. This Is Colossal shows us the surreal beauty of these nature-inspired paintings by American artist Tiffany Bozic, who taught herself how to paint with a precise technique that is reminiscent of the genre of nature illustration, yet hints at a profound mythical narrative about the interrelation of all living things, and the process of transformation.

© Tiffany Bozic

Bozic's eye for detail has been sharpened by her many travels to wild locations, and her careful study of research specimens at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Her technique involves a complex process of masking and staining panels of maple wood, which is painting on with many layers of diluted acrylic paints. The result is stunningly vibrant series of metaphorical juxtapositions and imagined metamorphoses that allude to the cycle of life and death, and the interrelatedness of life.

© Tiffany Bozic

In some paintings, the grain of the wood shows through, lending an organic warmth and structure to the image.

We hear so much depressing news about the environment nowadays, that it is imperative to also find reminders about the nature's resilience and capacity to endure. Of course, the question is whether we humans will wise up to nature's ways and do the same, before it's too late.