As I wandered through the pine forest, searching for and studying its plants for the book "Wild Plants of the Pinar de la Barrosa", I gradually came to realize that there was an animal world—ranging from the vast and easily detectable to a tiny, much more elusive underworld. All of this piqued my curiosity, and once again—just as I had done with the plants—I turned to the old medieval books, the “Bestiariums” or “Animalariums,” which, alongside scientific descriptions (some brimming with imagination and creativity), featured images of the animals, usually in the form of black-and-white engravings and, later on, elaborate color drawings or paintings.
That’s when I decided to compile as many animals from the pine forest as I could, write their scientific descriptions, and enjoy painting them—in this case, in watercolor.
And so I did: two years of work that resulted in a couple hundred illustrations and immense enjoyment, both in creating them and in the process of research and discovery that led to them.
Finally, I should note that many of the animals featured are difficult to find and observe, whether due to their small size, the habitat they inhabit, or because their numbers have declined significantly due to environmental changes—but as with everything, the key is to keep trying.
Javier Palacios
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