"Invading An Empire", 2019, Oil on Canvas, 30 by 40 inches, Ashley Beerdat
An ancient cityscape like a mosaic, a rich cacophony of colours and textures.
Large creatures, like echoes of the Cretaceous greats, churn the harbour and scuttle its ships with their bouldered limbs.
Land-bound beasts with softer hides, clad in fur or shielded by golden armour, flee the encroaching chaos.
"The Epirota Phalanx", 2019, Oil on Canvas, 9 by 12 inches, Ashley Beerdat
Against the endless blue of a Mediterranean sky, its horizon spanned by an army, two figures meet in battle.
These are great beasts, though they are more fragile than their Cretaceous progenitors: instead of leather or stone, their hides are textured like panes of crown glass, protected beneath layers of bright cloth and metal. Their movements are unwieldy; they are merely vehicles for the aggression of the small, delicate creatures who ride atop their backs. These creatures lack sharp teeth and claws, so they have fashioned tools to serve in their place.
"Battle of Benevento", 2019, Oil on Canvas, 9 by 12 inches, Ashley Beerdat
Across the desert, an endless army drives the great grey creature forward.
Its head is bowed and its limbs are braced as it is met by the opposing onslaught. Like the creature, these foes are shielded by cloth and metal that shine even more brightly than the sand. Their movements are quick, fluid, and turbulent; they dash upon the creature like rapids against a boulder.
