40 x 30 in
Photograph, archival pigment print, and acrylic on canvas

Artist Statement:

To some the rock art left behind by the “Ancient One’s” of this area might appear mundane, while to others the art remains telling and sacred. Nonetheless, the uncertainty of their true meaning only makes us look deeper… especially now when our increasing human footprint is divided when it comes to our understanding of whether there is a global crisis - when it comes to the depletion of our natural resources.

Upon being chosen as one of the artists to participate in the Disturbance: The Art and Ecology of Change 2026 project, my immediate thought was how a person with hardly any knowledge about wildfires, other than what we hear through the media, contribute to the topic of wildfire management.

On the other hand, I was born and raised in northern New Mexico, where I have seen gradual drastic changes happening on our fragile ecosystem. I also make a living as a painter and writer drawing inspiration from my surroundings therefore greatly appreciative of those who protect our landscape which in one way or another benefits all of us.

Artist Bio:

Jonathan Warm Day Coming, a Taos Pueblo Tribal member, is a world-renowned established painter, published author, accomplished illustrator, and father of two daughters, Carly and Nuna. He was born into an artistic family and has since expressed himself through various art forms, while working from home on his indigenous homeland. He draws inspiration from the rich history of this native land, and is currently enjoying creating his (Taos Pueblo themed) ledger drawings on authentic 1800’s ledger paper.

His signed books can be ordered through him directly, which include: "Eva Mirabal: Three Generations of Tradition and Modernity at Taos Pueblo" (his co-written Biography with the late Lois Palken Rudnick) of his mother's incredible life; "Taos Pueblo Painted Stories" his first solo written & illustrated book (being reprinted soon for its 4th edition printing); "The White Buffalo," his illustrated multi-award winning children's/young adult hunting-themed book authored by Marc Nitsche, with proceeds going to native american charities; and "Kiki's Journey" a children's book depicting the rewards and challenges of contemporary Pueblo natives authored by Native American writer, Kristy Orona.

Jonathan is currently putting his finishing touches on a soon to be published solo-writing endeavor titled: "Bringing Rain - A Taos Pueblo Story," a short story with fictional characters based on historical events.

Scientists Statement:

TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

(truh-dish-un-ul ek-uh-loj-uh-kul noli-j )

Traditional Ecological Knowledge, or TEK, is a term used by Western science to describe knowledge developed through generations of close relationship with particular landscapes. It can encompass plants, wildlife, weather, water, fire, seasonal cycles, and the practices people use to tend the places where they live.

For Indigenous communities, this knowledge has accumulated over centuries or millennia. It comes from repeated observation and experience: burning, harvesting, hunting, planting, gathering, watching, adapting, and passing what is learned from one generation to the next. Fire knowledge is part of this record. Indigenous peoples have used fire intentionally to influence vegetation, support foods and medicines, improve wildlife habitat and forage, and maintain culturally important landscapes.

The term TEK itself is imperfect. It is a Western academic framework applied to diverse Indigenous knowledge systems, not necessarily a term communities use to describe their own knowledge. “Traditional” can make living and evolving knowledge sound fixed in the past, while “ecological” can separate observations about nature from culture, spirituality, community, and relationships with place. TEK is not simply a collection of ancient facts for Western science to test or extract. It represents distinct ways of knowing grounded in generations of accumulated observation, experimentation, practice, and adaptation.

That long experience may be especially relevant as climate and disturbance regimes change. TEK cannot simply tell us what to do under conditions without historical precedent. But knowledge built through continual observation and adaptation can help recognize ecological change, understand relationships among species and processes, and inform how communities respond to unfamiliar conditions.

The marks people leave behind are only part of this record. Knowledge also survives through people, stories, practices, and relationships. Indigenous people did not simply witness these landscapes change. Over countless generations, they learned from them, responded to them, and helped shape the ecological communities we inherited.

PHOTOS BY ALEX CANCRO