Dan McCarthy Taking

Illustration of a black tree with spiraling branches, black leaves, and red berries. There is a black skeleton forming the roots of the tree and two white rabbits eating from the green grass below the tree. The background is a blue sky.

The image on this button, which explores the cyclical nature of life and death, began its life in 2004 as an oil painting named Taking. The artist, Dan McCarthy of Pocassett, Massachusetts, created a five color screen print of Taking the following year, which eventually lead to the creation of this button. In addition to themes of life, death, and rebirth, McCarthy’s work also explores the relationship between nature and technology. A man of multiple talents, McCarthy is both a visual artist (working in design, screen printing, drawing, and painting) and a musician.