Fort Worth community remembers local artist Don Ivan Punchatz

by PegNews wire

Don Ivan Punchatz died October 22, 2009. Punchatz was an eminent and award-winning American illustrator as well as an adjunct professor of graphic design at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. He did illustrations for numerous magazines and had an international following.

His illustration, America the Raped, says more about the plight of the natural world (including humans, too) than millions of words can ever do. The illustration was included in the Art for Survival exhibition sponsored by the United Nations Environmental Program, Earth Island Institute, and the Society of Illustrators. The illustration is not shown here; it's protected by copyright.

Despite the foreboding scene, the illustration telegraphs a call to arms against those whose only concern for nature is how they can exploit it for personal gain. The image also conveys a reminder to all environmental organizations of the power that art has to communicate our messages to the world.

In 2007, Punchatz generously granted FWCanDo permission to use the illustration, America the Raped, for campaigns to "Save some of Fort Worth."

Source: FWCanDo