Artist's Statement

Survivors of the Desert focuses on the life cycle of the saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert. The desert can be a harsh, hot, rough place to survive in, but the saguaro cactus seems to do a fine job of surviving. This photo project shows the life of the cactus, in interaction with the desert and with human and animal life.

We start by looking at small, baby cacti all the way on up to the ribs of a dead cactus and everything in between. Saguaros come in a vast amount of shapes and sizes, as well as ages. The taller, larger saguaros with many arms seen in the pictures may 150 years old or older. These cacti are able to store water and survive the harsh environment, as well as create a safe home for some creatures. We looked at a saguaro with animal life in it, such as the cactus wren, a common inhabitant of the cactus. There were also cacti that had clearly been interfered with by the growing presence of human life in the desert, as witnessed by the picture of the saguaro with a great amount of golf ball holes. Overall, you can see the variety in form of the saguaro, a true survivor of the desert.