Walton Ford (b. 1960)

By reviving the Audubon-style illustrations that invoke the pioneering expeditions of Charles Darwin, Walton Ford is able to create a unique niche for himself, operating in an area all his own. Conclusions is a classic example of his technique. A work on paper featuring his signature bird iconography, meticulously rendered using gouache, watercolor, ink and graphite, Ford creates both imagery and atmosphere, all while maintaining the subtle social commentary that gives his art a sharp cerebral undertone. Unlike scientific renderings by Audubon, in Conclusions Ford creates a disturbing effect through the use of space; the featured bird pressed against the boundaries of the page in an unnatural and contorted pose. Ford’s work is undoubtedly informed by the historic scientist-illustrators, but it manages to retain its uniqueness both when compared to the works of his spiritual predecessors and his contemporaries working today.