The Saguaro Cactus is the backbone of the Sonoran Desert Ecosystem. Not only are they one of the most unique and immediately recognizable features of this landscape, but they provide food and shelter for a variety of desert animals. Many birds dwell inside them, and countless creatures rely on their nectar and fruit for sustenance. Even in death, a saguaro carcass is a vital source of nourishment for insects, which in turn provide for creatures higher up the food chain.

When I started my “Desert Pattern” series, which applied the same basic visual structure as the rest of my pattern series to iconic desert animals, I knew that this painting would be the centerpiece of that collection. I did paintings of Roadrunners, Desert Tortoises, Desert Cottontails, Coyotes, and Javelina, all pitted against repeated imagery of themselves. In “The Survivor,” I housed those same silhouettes, on a much smaller scale, inside the repeated cactus background pattern, visually underscoring the importance of the Saguaro to all desert life. For the main Saguaro image, I chose to portray an old, battle-scared specimen I observed on Tumamoc Hill here in Tucson. When Saguaros become this old, much of the main trunk, and even some of the arms, become woody and lose much of their supination, with spines only appearing on newer growth. I am fascinated by Saguaros that are riddled with holes, cracks, discoloration, and signs of age. Though a robust and healthy younger Saguaro is certainly a thing of beauty, there is a more compelling narrative behind true desert survivors like this one.