Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Abstract: Join Bobby for a showcase of his detailed biological illustration, created under the pen name, NearsightGraphite. Highlighting his process, he’ll discuss the power of the observer and the illustrator’s role as a distiller of torrents of visual data. Bobby’s artwork amplifies intimate, obscure forms of life to give underrepresented organisms louder voices and to visualize their self-worlds. He aims to inspire curiosity in the intricacies of the natural world, and by extension, promote nature conservation.
Bio: Robert J. Long ("Bobby") is a visual artist and educator from Silver Spring, Maryland. His zoologically-focused artwork has been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally. In 2013 he became Arizona’s first and only finalist in the internationally juried Adobe Design Achievement Awards. His illustrations have been published by Frontiers in Microbiology, Manifest Press, the Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry, and Edible Magazine, among others. Bobby is also an amateur reef aquarist and an avid photographer with experience in macro-photography and an interest in natural subjects.