Tiffany Bozic in her studio, circa 2010. Photo from the book Drawn by Instinct.
Tiffany Bozic is an American artist, born in 1979, based in San Francisco, California. A self-taught painter, her work is characterized by a naturalist approach inspired by her life-long interest in the realm of the living: her inspiration comes from all that nature has to offer. Tiffany lives a very unique lifestyle; married to a Biologist, she often joins him in adventurous travels to the world’s most exotic environments – The Galapagos Islands, Namibia, Papua New Guinea and other remote uninhabited islands in the South Pacific, to cite a few – from which she gathers inspiration that she then translates into her beautifully complex natural scenes in the canvas.
The Raft, 2009.
Her work is a perfect example of the wonderful intersection between art and science. The works of Tiffany Bozic have been heavily inspired by the illustrations of Ernst Haeckel, another fascinating figure – a true example of a scientist with an artist’s soul. Haeckel was a German naturalist from the 19th century, who became fascinated with the richness and complexity of nature by immersing in the study of Diatomea, tiny algae that live in sea water that form incredibly intricate body designs with their silica shells. He would spend most of his hours illustrating the delicate and exquisite geometry of the microscopic Diatomea and other sea creatures, marveling at the fact that such modest creatures possessed some of the most sophisticated designs in nature.
Portrait of Ernst Haeckel, flanked by some of his illustrations of Ascidiae and Anemonae, which can be found in his masterwork Art Forms of Nature.
Another one of the plates drawn by Haeckel in Art Forms of Nature. Kuriositas has a very interesting article with many of his illustrations, click here to read it!
Accurate and detailed to an astonishing level, Tiffany Bozic’s paintings don’t compromise realism in order to create her most fantastic scenes; instead, she has a marvelous understanding of the unique intricacy and exquisite mystery inherent to the natural world and uses them as a highlight to create astonishing compositions. In other words, she, like Haeckel, has learned to look with fresh eyes at the awe-inspiring, unlimited creativity of form and color present in nature.
“I am usually captivated by work by artists who live interesting lives – those artists who travel into unfamiliar territory, sometimes having to overcome great personal conflicts, in order to produce authentic and honest art.” – Tiffany Bozic.
Another aspect that makes her work so captivating is that, despite its undeniable aesthetic appeal, it is not limited to just ‘being pretty’. In her paintings, animals capture and convey all sorts of emotions, often to a dramatic –but never overstated– effect. The world in which Tiffany’s creatures live is not an idyllic, ‘happy together’ harmonious paradise; often, it captures and transmits the ultimate Darwinian evolutionary principle: the survival of the fittest, the struggle to achieve reproduction and sometimes the seemingly cruel side of nature.
“In urban environments, we are so removed from the basic struggle from survival, and we are shocked if we see and animal kill another animal. And yet, in some other town, someone is killing our food for us and cutting it up into bite-sized pieces so we don’t have to do it ourselves – or even think about the process. How easily we forget that the fundamental process of the natural world is to kill and be eaten. ” – Tiffany Bozic.
Eat or be eaten, 2010.
Looking at the plates of Drawn by Instinct, a compilation of her works published in 2012, Tiffany’s love for the natural world and living beings becomes contagious. One gets immersed in a captivating universe of awe-inspiring delicate beauty, where real creatures found in nature juxtapose with the artist’s fantastic, but realistic-looking creations. Part of the magic in Tiffany’s work is that her creativity and attention to anatomical detail and design also allows her to create her own life forms in the canvas.
One of the most treasured pieces of my library: my copy of Drawn by Instinct, a gorgeous and inspiring book.
“I have taken thousands of photos on my travels now and have built up a digital library of cool stuff […] I often look back to remember the places and things I have seen.”
On the right, Might Be Poisonous.
“Each painting, different from the next, is an ancient ‘song’ about intimate struggles that we share with living creatures. These are small reminders that we ARE nature, connected to everything.” – Tiffany Bozic.
The magic of natural design keeps inspiring artists and scientists alike. Where art and science intersect, there is also an opportunity for fashion to come into play. As a fun and interesting example, Canadian artist and designer Ryley O’Byrne created a collection in 2010 composed of high-quality socks printed with rather eccentric patterns; the prints feature creatures like bugs, snakes, butterflies, lizards and birds, depicted with a sort of stylized realism reminiscent of 19th century naturalist illustrations. Fruits and botanical patterns are also found among the designs, forming a beautiful tropical display. They are the perfect gift for the admirer of nature and the natural world, who also likes to make a statement through their personal style. Some of my favorite designs by Strathcona Stockings:
Magic Mushrooms Stockings.
Black Bird Stockings.
Purple Swamp Stockings.
You can purchase them (and take a look at the other beautiful designs) at Strathcona Design's Store. I think someone like Tiffany Bozic should own a pair of these (or two!).
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What do you think? Does the natural world inspire you greatly, or are you more of an urban spirit? Do you crave, like me, an exciting life of adventure and beauty combined like that of Tiffany’s? And, most importantly, of course: Would you wear bugs and lizards printed in your stockings?
Thank you for reading!
