I first met Shelby Prindaville while she was completing her Master of Fine Arts degree from the LSU Painting and Drawing Program. I was, on a whim, looking for artists who documented wildlife in coastal Louisiana and the Louisiana wetlands, for an LSU homepage feature story I was writing. Shelby responded to an e-mail announcement that went out, and I knew immediately that she belonged in this story.

At the time, Shelby created amazing clay sculptures of anoles (lizards) jumping and climbing and hanging upside down off of wall mounts she constructed herself. She even collaborated with a scientist at LSU to make a new clay material that cures on-demand, which is how she was able to create such delicate sculptures of anoles in action. She was also a regular contributor to the science blog Anole Annals. I was amazed by how Shelby combined scientific accuracy with the most beautiful abstract backgrounds to bring various species to life, and in a way that magnified the animals’ unique characteristics and natural behaviors.

Since I wrote about her artwork in 2013, Shelby has continued to amaze me with her ecological artwork. So I decided to interview her about some of her most recent work. Turns out, she writes beautifully too, so enjoy!

Me: Your recent paintings often feature animals from unique perspectives, from stacks of snails to "fish eye" three-dimensional encounters with donkeys and pigs. Can you talk to me about what inspires the "animal encounters" in your artwork?

Shelby: Many developed countries are somewhat disconnected from the natural world, and so most of my viewers haven’t been fully exposed to the wonderful and curious attributes that my subjects possess. By depicting animals from unique perspectives, I hope to intrigue viewers into expanding their emotional and intellectual connections with nature.