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An Avra Valley artist has brought the spirit of the Southwest's animals to an art exhibit this month at the Tucson Botanical Gardens art gallery.

Sherry Bryant's "Spirit Animals of the Southwest" will be on display at the gardens until April 29. Bryant intends to bare the souls of the animals and challenge people to take a closer look at their beauty, she said.

"I want them to come away with some kind of reverence and respect," she said. "I want more people to see what they have to offer." When she interacts with animals, she sees creatures that are perfect and honest, she said.

Bryant's inspiration comes from her numerous encounters with desert wildlife, mostly near her house, which borders the western portion of Saguaro National Park. Bryant said she does not merely draw portraits of the animals, but tries to capture the emotion of the animal.

"As I'm painting, their essence emerges," she said. "It's basically their soul or my perception of such."

Bryant's body of work is a good fit for the botanical gardens, said Renée Donaldson, director of retail and visitor services.

"We picked her work because it is bold and has a large format," Donaldson said. "It's very vibrant and a good use of space."