Proud Humpback

Justin Gibbens has trained in both scientific illustration and traditional Chinese painting – a skill set he employs in his zoological drawings. Gibbens’ stylized and embellished beasts speak of evolution, biodiversity, and often serve as cautionary tales and stand-ins for our anthropocentric selves. Inspired by a whale-watching trip in Alaska’s Glacier Bay, Proud Humpback playfully depicts the true charisma and conviction of a breaching humpback whale. –Artist statement