“I spent a lot of time earlier in my life being very politically active, testifying, being on boards of non-profits, and ultimately being frustrated and feeling ineffective. I realized that my art spoke volumes and that it was what I was actually ‘good’ at. My messages are there in my art.”— Ray Troll
Ray Troll lives on the edge of the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska, with deep woods on one side and deep ocean on the other. His work is born of this unique place. The Tongass is a 16.7 million acre temperate rainforest, and it boasts the highest biomass of any ecosystem on the planet. What makes this biosphere so healthy?
One answer to this question – salmon – is the inspiration behind Deep Forest. Year after year, hundreds of millions of salmon return from the ocean to spawn and die in the rivers, streams, and lakes of the Tongass. As they decompose, these fish provide the forest with rich nutrients from the North Pacific Ocean. The trees, nourished by these nutrients, are particularly healthy and tall along the riparian corridor, providing shade and protection for newly hatched salmon. Essentially, coastal salmon and the forests of the Pacific Northwest co-evolved.
Troll depicts this symbiotic relationship between fish and tree with something he refers to as “scientific surrealism.” Unexpected visual juxtapositions invite us into a world of ichthyology and forest ecology with a friendly wink. His images are bold, totemic, and memorable, and help us understand and visualize “the salmon forest.”
Deep Forest hides its secrets, and many are imbedded in the painting. Perhaps you can find some with these clues: devils, fiddles, a human skull, fossils, a bear, totemic salmon. There are more – I just haven’t found them yet.
Ray Troll has received numerous awards and distinctions, including a John Simon Guggenheim fellowship, a gold medal for distinction in the natural history arts from the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the honor of having a species of ratfish named for him: Hydrolagus trolli. Along with art and science, Troll is a well known musician and steps out with the Ratfish Wranglers as often as possible. As he says, “Everyone should be in a band, regardless of talent or ambition.”
Ray may be reached through his website.