Art, Academia, and Animals: A Conversation with Tony Monahan, PhD

Tony Monahan, PhD, is an artist, writer, and professional educator. He is a professor at the City University of New York and has worked with a wide range of populations and programs.

What began as a photography project quickly blossomed into a 46-month quest to chronicle turtle encounters in the US. The resulting product, The Turtle Lovers’ Guidebook, is offered as a contribution to the myriad efforts to conserve turtles and tortoises throughout the world.

Tony sat down with Writer’s Life to tell us about his journey as a writer and artist, his love for turtles, his extensive efforts in conserving them and making sure these animals thrive, and so much more. Here is what he shared with us.

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Tell us a bit about your background and career.

I have been a professional educator for many years; first as a K-12 teacher, then as a college professor. This profession has allowed me to work in a variety of settings and locations. To date, I have worked in educational programs in six US states and 12 countries around the world. As a teacher, I strive to be genuine, informative, and care about my students’ success. I feel very fortunate to have been in a position to help children and young adults. Many of my students have gone on to become teachers themselves.

Has writing always been a passion of yours?

Writing has been an important part of my life for many years. I have always been compelled to be creative but it took a lot of work for me to find my comfort zone with the written word. I prefer informational writing to creative storytelling. As a college professor, writing is part of my professional responsibilities. In my classes, I work on simplifying complex concepts and information in order for my students to better understand. My writing takes this path as well. In informational writing, I don’t always have to start at the beginning. In fact, I often write introductions last. My writing challenges are A) organizing information and B) writing parsimoniously – saying as much as I can in as few words as possible. The site descriptions in my book, Turtle Lovers’ Guidebook, are limited to 80 words. The one area of my writing that I would consider “creative” would be the photo captions, which are essentially one-sentence stories for each picture.

What is it about turtles that first intrigued you?

My initial interest in turtles was artistic. These shelled animals are instantly recognized around the world. Whether it be the geometry of their shell, their vibrant colors and patterns, or their existence on land, in water, and throughout our oceans, these creatures are certainly unique in the animal kingdom. Like many people, I had pet turtles as a kid. However, the extensive travel of my adulthood made pet-keeping unsustainable. Nevertheless, I never lost my fascination of them. I may not be a biologist or breeder, but I am a lifelong turtle lover.

Tell us about your new book - Turtle Lovers’ Guidebook.

The Turtle Lovers’ Guidebook is a comprehensive resource for turtle conservation, encounters, and information on public sites in the United States. It is a one-of-a-kind book, whereas most turtle books are either natural history (i.e., turtles of the world, specific species) or books on keeping turtles as pets. The premise of this book is: if you like turtles, do not take them from the wild. Here are 164 public places throughout the country where you can see them on display; here are organizations and societies you can join; here are rescues where you can adopt a turtle; here are some social media sites on turtles, and here are some projects and programs designed to help them. This book makes no mention of turtles in the wild because many species are vulnerable or endangered, and wild places are diminishing.

What was your impetus for writing your book?

The book began as a photography project. I started teaching a class on Stress Management, and, in a nutshell, the essence of stress management is doing the (healthy) things you love. I bought a camera and started going to local sites to photograph turtles. Then I began visiting US zoos and aquariums that had turtles on display. During my trips, I learned that turtles were a favorite animal at these places, especially among children. I also learned of the dire situation they are in as a whole. I decided to put this project to good use by compiling my photography with relevant information into a resource guide.

The book also celebrates zoos worldwide and tells us about them.

This book covers primarily public sites and organizations in the US. The project took four years to complete. During that time, I visited over 200 sites, traveling over 150,000 air, rail, and road miles. I endeavor to continue my work internationally.

What are the messages you want readers to take away from reading your work?

1. This book is not solely about turtles. It is also a book about the USA, highlighting the history of American zoos and the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the individuals who established them. Some zoos began with single animals, while others were created by fire departments that had collected animals during their rescue work. Some zoos were destroyed by natural disasters and rebuilt. Each one has a unique history, architecture, layout, and programs.

All in all, the travel guide part of the book is divided into four regions: East, South, Central, and West, with sites loosely organized in North to South and East to West routes, providing an opportunity for family trips

2. Turtles are in trouble and need our help. Never take turtles from nature. Even though they are cherished animals, they are vulnerable, and many species are protected by law. This book provides opportunities to see them, help them, and even adopt them.

Can you give us one or two turtle facts that would surprise people?

1. All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. Reptiles with an outer protective shell are considered turtles. Tortoises are a type of turtle that lives on land. They tend to have higher-domed shells and thick, stubby elephant-like back legs. Many water turtles have duck-like webbed back feet, and sea turtles have flippers to navigate the oceans.

2. Turtles are long-lived. The oldest turtle in the world is Jonathan, an Aldabra tortoise living on Saint Helena, an island off of South Africa. He is approximately 192 years old. Turtles do not have senescence (the process of deterioration with age). As they get older, they continue to grow and even become more fertile. In 2023, the Houston Zoo’s oldest resident, Mr. Pickles, a radiated tortoise, became a father for the first time at the age of 90. This year, Philadelphia Zoo’s Galapagos tortoise ‘Mommy’ became a first-time mom at the approximate age of 100, making her the oldest first-time mom of her species. She has been at the zoo since 1932.

3. Turtles are in trouble. Even though they have inhabited the Earth for over 200 million years, nearly half of the world’s 150+ turtle species are considered vulnerable or endangered, making them the most threatened group of animals on our planet. Some species are considered functionally extinct in the wild. Meaning, there aren’t enough living specimens in the wild to continue a viable population. Yet, they still exist because of dedicated individuals and institutions keeping and breeding them in captivity – several of these programs are in Zoos and Aquariums. So even though they are no longer in the wild, you can still see many of these species on display.

Tell us about your art.

My main art is paper structure – multi-layered papers and mat board cut, sculpted, and structured with glue, screws, nuts, and bolts. The work is dimensional, detailed, and features turtles. The advantages of this type of art is: A) I can use both of my hands to cut and sculpt, B) I can build to three-dimensions (preferable to making turtle shells), and C) unlike painting, I don’t always have to be on my game – meaning there are always things that need to be cut out (scales, scutes, claws, eyeballs, etc.) that don’t take the type of precision that painting does. The disadvantage of this medium is the amount of time it

takes to construct an art piece. Many of my pieces took months or even years to realize. My latest piece took 264 hours over a four-year period to create.

What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you next?

After the Turtle Lovers’ Guidebook experience, I have decided to dedicate the rest of my life to informing the world that turtles are in trouble and need our help. Presently, I am working on the World Book of Turtle Conservation project. I anticipate it to be released in volumes by geographical area (North America, Europe, etc.). Like the Turtle Lovers’ Guidebook, this book will continue to feature public sites with turtles on display. However, this global project will primarily present conservation programs designed to save, protect, and propagate turtles. The research for the North America volume is nearly finished, and work on Europe has begun.

Where can people find out more about you and your work?

More information about my artwork and book can be found at www.carapacedesigns.com