The Rainbow Forest Museum at Petrified Forest National Park has a new mural depicting a scene from the lower part (Blue Mesa Member) of the Chinle Formation. The mural was completed by Sedona artist Victor Leshyk (who also did the Museum of Northern Arizona's therizinosaur exhibit). The centerpiece of this new mural (at least in my eyes) is this moment when an unwary ornithodiran gets a little to close to the rivers edge and becomes a meal for the true rulers of the North American Triassic. I apologize for the poor lighting in the exhibit room (which isn't completely finished yet), but welcome everyone to check out this new scene when you visit the Park.
The mural also has Postosuchus running down a silesaurid, so all the ornithodirans are getting what they deserve. Better yet, the aetosaurs are alive and healthy instead of being dead and eaten by rauisuchians, as they almost always are in Triassic art, if they are shown at all. Phytosaurs and metoposaurs are the featured animals and right up front. This mural is a big improvement from most Triassic artwork which usually just have Coelophysis up front, and perhaps Placerias or a pseudosuchian in the background.
ReplyDeleteWe got a brief peak at the unfinished version this last November - the size and detail are amazing!
ReplyDeleteHear, hear! This is incredible. Might just have to mosey on over to that side of the country to take a peep.
ReplyDelete