The Totem Series: Axolotl and Ginkgo

A white axolotl

I have a favourite animal: the axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum (Mexican) or Ambystoma tigrinum (Tiger) .  Ambystoma comes from the Greek Amblys means 'blunt' and stoma means 'mouth'.  And axolotl comes from the Mexican for water monster.  Like me it's a bit wierd but very well adapted for it's environment.  The axolotl is a cave salamander also known as the Mexican Walking Fish.  Which is a bit wierd because an axolotl is not a fish it's an amphibian, but unlike most mature amphibians it hasn't developed fully and has kept it's gills and fins so unlike most amphibians it rarely comes out of its home in the cave lakes of Mexico.  And if it loses a limb can just regrow it.

I have an affection for salamanders in general, they are mythical

Fire salamander

animals with a lot of legends attached to them, most notably the fire salamander which is a real thing.  Most salamanders, like newts are a kind of muddy greenish brown colour for camoflage. Salamandra salamandra is clearly the archetypal salamander, the name simply means salamander twice.  It is toxic, the bright yellow and black colouring is a warning to predators.  It has rows of poison glands along its body that secrete neurotoxins.  If necessary, it can spray these at an attacker.

Then there's the mythical fire salamander.  Widely believed to have been born from fire it appears in mythology from across the world.  It appears in right through classical and medieval mythology, Pliny the elder and Aristotle both talk about it.  Small but mighty, a little fiery creature of great usefulness in making potions, toxic and magical.

The plant in this print is similarly wierd looking and extraordinary.  The ginkgo or Maidenhair tree (named after the Maidenhair fern) is another living fossil.  Ginkgo biloba is the last remaining survivor of a prehistoric genus of trees.  In terms of its medicinal uses it contains large amounts of flavinoids and terpinoids: antioxidants that protect the cells from damage.  It is resiliant, ancient and beloved of Buddhists.  Ginkgo comes from the Chinese gin means silver and kyo means apricot.  It is believed to clarify thinking by enhancing blood flow to the brain, but I just love its wierd shape and the fact that it is a Mezozoic survivor.  Biloba simply means bilobed, describing the divided leaf that bears no resemblance to any other present day decidious leaf.

My axolotl is a cryptoaxolotl, I exaggerated those beautiful frondy fins and gave it those native american eyes.  It is the print that has gone through the most alterations, it's always difficult to pay tribute to an animal and plant which mean so much to you.