From the age of Evolution – Darwin, the discovery of thousands of fossilised organisms – scientists have worked to rebuild these creatures to show the world what once lived. An important part of this is the ability to visualise and logically estimate features that can’t be 100% proven. Growing up, as I read about camouflaged dinosaurs and giant birds with their brightly coloured feathers, I couldn’t help but think: ‘what if reality had been different?’. Luckily, Scott Musgrove has fearlessly grabbed this idea by the horns, and through ‘scientifically un-approved’ means, has honed the art of zoological impressionism.
Scott Musgrove is a man on a mission; a mission to uncover the mysteries of the lesser known would-have-been-extinct animals of North America, if evolution had taken a different turn. Climbing through the forgotten foliage behind shopping malls and hiking under freeways, Musgrove is the modern day explorer, and has discovered and documented numerous species that are hard to believe. Have you ever heard of the Penultimate Gamour Cat before today? Well, now you have:
Through careful thought on alternative reality theory mixed with a research into genuine anatomy, Scott Musgrove’s outcomes are spectacular to behold. In some cases, he has researched even deeper into these creatures’ lives to see how they would lived (reading his website is a learning experience in itself!). Whilst the scientific world may still be having a little trouble coming to terms with Musgrove’s findings, the art community has welcomed them with open arms. His artistically accurate paintings and sculptures have exhibited all over the world. As if this wasn’t enough, Musgrove has even published a book of his findings: The Late Fauna of Early North America: The Art of Scott Musgrove. Musgrove’s ability to work so intricately with oils, watercolours and pencils along with producing bronze and ceramic sculptures has spurred a flurry of collectors for these beautifully surreal documentations. Personally I can’t wait to see what he discovers next. In the meantime, have a look at some of the amazing creatures he has catalogued:
