Issue 4: Echoes
Frogs Are My Whole Life
Aidan Gowland
Image Description: The artwork is laid out, generally, in the shape of a rectangle and comprises black text with a black square in the lower left corner. In a whimsical, bold font with softened serifs, four lines of text spell out “Frogs Are My Whole Life." To the left of the word life, taking up almost all of the small black block, is the white silhouette of a tree frog, sitting calmly.
Artist Statement: I've been obsessed with herptiles (reptiles, amphibians and a couple of related weirdo groups of species) since I was a kid. It's an obsession that led me to becoming a Fish & Wildlife Conservation Technician, a certified natural heritage guide and educator, and to finding whatever ways I can to connect people to these special kin. They've also found their way into my art, which I think is only natural given their whimsy and intelligence. This piece sat as a work-in-progress buried in my files until it found someone who also resonated with the idea that frogs are lifelong friends. Hopefully it resonates with you, or encourages you to help these friends across the road in their migratory seasons.
Aidan Gowland (@the.pondprince) is the creative weirdo behind Pond Prince Studio, based in Duncan, BC. Aidan's a queer-trans, multiply disabled and neurodivergent artist working across traditional and digital mediums, as well as the written word. His work usually explores themes of nature, identity, decolonization and imagining positive futures. You can find him on Instagram @the.pondprince or by email at pondprincestudio@gmail.com.