Enzo (2025) 11x14” Acrylic on Panel

The leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is a crepuscular gecko from the rocky, arid grasslands and desert edges of Afghanistan, Pakistan, northwest India, and Iran. Unlike many geckos, it has movable eyelids and no sticky toe pads, living a ground-dwelling lifestyle. Adapted to harsh environments, it hunts insects and small invertebrates at dusk and dawn. In captivity, leopard geckos are among the most popular reptiles, prized for their hardiness, ease of care, and the wide variety of color and pattern morphs.

Enzo is a Super Snow Eclipse, a striking morph where the Super Snow gene creates bold black-and-white speckling, and the Eclipse gene produces solid jet-black eyes—together giving a dramatic, high-contrast look.

I figured that the visual similarities between the gecko and Snowflake Obsidian would create a very pleasant “echo of similarity” for the viewer, and leaned into taking advantage of the cast shadows to add some fun color to the piece. I’ve talked about painting @cataleah’s Enzo for literal years at this point, and am happy I finally found a concept I liked enough to see through to the end.