The Aurora Public Art Commission unveils its new art exhibit, “Dinosaurs: the Art and Science of Paleontology” this Friday, Feb. 22 with an opening reception from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the 3rd floor gallery of the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Pl.
The exhibit features the works of field paleontologist and an artist Rob Sula and will showcase his natural history themed art, paleo-illustration and field-illustration (site maps.) The exhibit also explores the innate beauty of fossils and examines the craft of fossil restoration.
Sula has hundreds of hours of experience hunting and excavating dinosaurs. As a guide, he has led groups prospecting for dinosaur remains in the Hell Creek formation since 1998. He has participated in over 20 major paleontology excavations and has supervised several excavations including three dinosaurs with skin preservation. Visit http://paleoprospectors.com/ for more info.
In 1999 Sula co-discovered the Licking Leaf site, which has produced over 100 new species of late Cretaceous plant fossils. In 2003 he found a 36-foot Tylosaurus proriger that was so complete it had preserved skin on the ribcage. The discovery and excavation of this specimen is the subject of the National Geographic Children’s book, “Dinosaurs.”
The free exhibit will be open from 12:00 until 4:00 p.m., Wednesdays to Fridays through May 3. The opening reception on Feb. 22 will include light hors d’oeurves and a cash bar.
The Aurora Public Art Commission is a civic organization dedicated to the presentation of public art in all its forms. For more information on APAC or the gallery visit the City of Aurora’s website at www.aurora-il.org.
