The Rillito River Project

I worked with the Rillito River Project (RRP) to make limited-edition take-away prints for Welcome Back the Bats 2011, an outdoor lecture and bat-watching night for local naturalists, ecologists, and donors. The bats were "welcomed back" to the bridges and tunnels of Tucson after their winter stay in Mexico. I had the pleasure of holding Sam, a rescued Mexican Free-Tailed Bat, in my hand to draw from observation. 

The following year, I was commissioned to make illustrated posters for Bat Night 2012, the RRP’s community bat-watching celebration. About 2,000 Tucson residents attended that spring night to watch 40,000 Free-Tailed Bats take flight for food. I also created prints and stationary for the preceding fundraiser event, the Bat Booster. 

The Rillito River Project (est. 2007) aims to raise awareness of the vanishing rivers of the Southwest. 

Graphite and digital color. 2011–2012.