The Yoffredo Center/Book Store featured artist for February – March is Ocyrus Erickson, a photographer who creates microcopic art from Palm Harbor. Ocyrus is the founder and CEO of Terra Preta LLC, an urban homestead and regenerative landscaping company rooted in his lifelong love for nature. Growing up Ocyrus spent most of his time outdoors, exploring forests, tending to plants, and studying the ecosystems around him. That early fascination with how living things grow and interact became the foundation of his work today, shaping both his environmental philosophy and his commitment to restoring healthy landscapes.
As he developed his career, Ocyrus combined his hands-on gardening experience with a deep interest in soil science, sustainable agriculture, and natural land management. His work spans everything from soil testing and ecological design to community education and organic landscaping practices that support long-term environmental health.
Ocyrus’s passion for service is also reflected in his work with Rotary. Through international collaboration efforts, he contributes to projects focused on revitalizing agriculture and strengthening communities, including initiatives that improve infrastructure, increase seed access, and support food security in rural regions. These efforts reflect his belief that healthy soil and resilient communities go hand in hand.
Today, Ocyrus continues to merge his childhood curiosity with professional expertise, helping people reconnect with the land while promoting regenerative practices that protect the environment. His work through Terra Preta LLC reflects a lifelong journey: exploring the natural world, understanding its needs, and helping others cultivate spaces that thrive with life.
His work with his company helped him discover something unexpected: an entire world hidden beneath our feet, bursting with color, structure, and life so intricate it feels alien. Through the lens of a microscope, what once looked like ordinary soil transforms into a universe of patterns, shapes, and organisms that rival any cosmic landscape.
Creating microscopic art allows Ocyrus to share the hidden beauty with others. Every image is a reminder that the foundation of our environment is alive, intelligent, and breathtakingly complex. He says, “My art is both a celebration and an invitation. A celebration of the stunning, organic architecture nature builds at the smallest scale, and an invitation for others to reconnect with the world beneath them. By revealing the unseen, I hope to inspire curiosity, respect, and a deeper appreciation for the soil systems that sustain our ecosystems, our food, and ultimately, our lives. Through microscopic imagery, I get to merge science with wonder. I capture moments from an alien world that is actually our own, magnified just enough for us to finally see it.”
To reach out to Ocyrus, you can email terrapreta.management@gmail.com or call him at 727-748-9445. To see his Etsy shop for his art, please visit www.etsy.com/shop/MicroscopicMarvelsUS
