The expansive sky, swaying grasses, and rolling hills
of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in the Flint Hills of Kansas
create a beautiful landscape and an inspiring ecosystem.
Learning about the diverse vegetation, rich soil conditions, native animal populations, and land management of the precious Tallgrass prairie inspired these painterly landscapes with a modern twist. Each painting features a dynamic composition, lush color, richly painted texture, and highlights a key component of the Flint Hills ecosystem.
The Promise of Return- Bison of Flint Hills
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| ©2013 Erin Fickert-Rowland, 12 in x 12 in, oil on canvas |
Once numbering 60 million, herds of Bison were a crucial component of the Tallgrass Prairie ecosystem. Their specific grazing preferences enhance the prairie landscape. Populations were decimated by humans, but are now being successfully reintroduced.
Sunshine Underground- Flint Hills, KS
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| ©2013 Erin Fickert-Rowland, 12 in x 12 in, oil on canvas |
A graphic interpretation of the 70-80% of the Tallgrass Prairie’s biomass that exists underground. A dense network of deep roots creates extremely rich soil for the prairie ecosystem. This rich soil is highly valued by farmers, as it produces bountiful crops.
Harmonious Landscape- Flint Hills, KS
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| ©2013 Erin Fickert-Rowland, 12 in x 12 in, oil on canvas |
An abstracted interpretation of the Tallgrass Prairie landscape, where the ecosystem thrives because of the healthy relationships between vegetation species and environmental conditions.
Cumulus Clouds Over Flint Hills
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| ©2013 Erin Fickert-Rowland, 12 in x 12 in, oil on canvas |
An expansive sky of quickly moving clouds over recently mowed prairie grasses in the Flint Hills of Kansas. “Haying” is a method of controlling growth of dominant grasses and encouraging plant diversity in the landscape.
Though I am an artist working in the Denver, Colorado area, I recently had the opportunity to visit the Flint Hills on a trip to see family. I was deeply impressed by this beautiful land and the importance of its preservation and restoration.
I explore both traditional and abstract imagery in my art, and I wanted my paintings of the Flint Hills to reflect my passion for this unique landscape. I believe art should be an expression of both nature and the artist, so I have used traditional techniques to create imagined scenes which are true to nature yet have creative graphic elements specific to my own vision.
Here I am on site working on sketches and collecting photographs and research before starting the paintings back in the studio!
