In the fall of 1997 I made my first trip down the Amazon traveling a thousand miles down through Brazil on assignment for Natural History magazine with my buddy and co-conspirator Brad Matsen. Dr. Kirk Johnson of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science arranged the river trip and filled the boat with scientists, artists and adventure seekers.

I was so inspired by the incredible diversity of fishes and the whole tropical rainforest experience that I decided to do the main magazine illustration mural sized. I stretched up a piece of canvas 7 ft. x 15 ft and started painting. It would take me nearly a year to finish.

 Here are a couple of shots of the mural in progress on the wall in my studio.