Cosmo Hoyt Sturgeon Print (9x12)

From Central & Gus:

Cosmo Hoyt Sturgeon spends most of his days studying the quiet conversations of the water: Currents whisper along the pilings. Tides nod politely to the moon. Even the humble mussels of the James River nursery send their steady messages, filtering and clearing the water one patient mouthful at a time.  Cosmo is a Civil Marine Engineer, which, if you ask him, simply means: “I help the river move forward without losing itself”.  

Cosmo lives low in this river, where the light softens and the water speaks plainly. He knows every bend and seam of current, every gravel bar that collects mischief, every narrow spot where the water starts to fuss with itself and forgets where it's going. While other fish spent their days darting and fretting, Cosmo drifts along the bottom, patient as a stone, listening. And collaborating.  For this, he keeps semaphore flags tucked neatly beneath his fin.

Many creatures believe communication is simply a matter of speaking louder or waving a flag higher, but Cosmo knows better. A signal is only useful if there is a channel for it to travel and, for Cosmo Hoyt Sturgeon, it begins long before the flag is raised. Waters must be clear between signal points. Lanterns must be lit. Someone must be watching the horizon. Otherwise, a message is only a piece of cloth flapping aimlessly. So before Cosmo raises his flags, he studies the system. He watches the tide, notes the currents, and makes sure the channel is open. And then, with a clear and productive message, he communicates.

After all, most misunderstandings are simply two good signals trying to cross a very poorly engineered channel. Once the channel is clear, it’s amazing how many creatures have been waiting all along to simply connect.