Turtles, all the way down for World Turtle Day

 

Turtles, all the way down, world, 11" x 14" linocut by Ele Willoughby, 2024

Today is World Turtle Day, a day to celebrate and protect turtles and their habitats worldwide. Years ago I made a print called ‘Turtles, all the way down’ for an art show about cosmology, where the expression is used as a metaphor for infinity regress. This echos origin myths that the Earth is supported on the back of the World Turtle. Though ostensibly about astrophysics, I took the opportunity to depict many species of turtles to celebrate their biodiversity.

This year I was commissioned by Turtle Survival Alliance, to illustrated this expression again, with a variety of wonderful but sadly endangered turtle species of special focus, in two prints: one for turtles from around the world, and one for North American species. Turtle Survival Alliance works to prevent extinctions of these amazing and varied animals worldwide, so I am very glad to make art for this cause!

My newly completed prints are on their way to Turtle Survival Alliance who will be auctioning them, as well as selling signed, limited edition, signed and numbered archival printed posters of each to raise funds for turtle conservation, later this summer.

The worldwide selection of turtles, from top to bottom are:
1 - Vallarta Mud Turtle (Kinosternon vogti), from Mexico
2 - Pancake Tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri), from Africa
3 - Indochinese Box Turtle (Cuora galbinifrons), from Asia
4 - Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata), from Madagascar
5 - Burmese Roofed Turtle (Batagur trivittata), from Myanmar
6 - Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys phayrei), from Bangladesh

Turtles, all the way, North America, 11" x 14" linocut by Ele Willoughby, 2024

Turtles from North America are:
1 - Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii)
2 - Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
3 - Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
4 - Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
5 - Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
6 - Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)

 

My original Turtles, all the way down:

 

Turtles, All the Way Down, 11" x 14" (27.9 cm x 35.6 cm)
linocut with chine-collé by Ele Willoughby, 2016

The turtles in my original print are from the top we have an eastern mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum), a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), a black pond turtle (Geoclemys hamiltonii), a painted batagur (Batagur borneoensis), a Oaxaca mud turtle (Kinosternon oaxacae), a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hint of something larger.