Watercolor, acrylic and gouache on paper

Responder updated this value. Anna Baatz / 范思竹 is a Taiwanese-American artist from Seattle. A graduate of the University of Washington's art school, her practice is informed by curiosity, mixed media exploration, narrative storytelling, and her position as a guest in Hawai'i.

草蟲 / Cǎochóng is a centuries old Chinese artform of painting insects in natural environments, often interwoven with subtle poetic symbolism. In Chinese tradition, moths are considered auspicious messengers that represent light, death, and the spirits of our deceased loved ones visiting. Here, nestled among golden clouds, Mestolobes Quadrifascia flit along stunted 'Ōhi'a lehua commonly found in Waiakoali Bog in Alakaʻi wilderness preserve. While these endemic micro moths are visitors to this painting, the mountains of Kaua’i’s Nā Pali remain their home. Little still is known about them, including the secret message that they bring.