2.
Mixed Media Self Portrait, 20” x 20”
In this piece I created a collage using national geographic articles, my own photos, and articles from my high school’s newspaper, El Gato. All of these collage elements speak about environmental problems like global warming or the beautiful parts of nature we are at risk of loosing like the emperor penguin and giant panda. I found inspiration in Andy Warhol’s colorful screen prints of marylyn Monroe for my own portraits. I took a studio self portrait, turned it black and white, created a halftone, and then burned that into a silk screen for printing. After finishing the screen prints I added more collage elements and different shades of blue acrylic paint to put emphasis on the most important elements in the collage. After varnishing I added string and nails to connect different articles like points on a map are connected. These strings also represent neurons in connecting the different ideas and nightmares that impact me, the subject of the screen prints. Growing up in an environmentally challenged time and seeing a history of degradation has impacted me, helping shape my care for the environment.
4.
This idea is once again inspired by surrealism and will depict a self portrait morphing into the eye on a butterfly. Butterflies use these fake eyes to scare away predators.
5.
City of Penguins - 14” x 21” - Watercolor and ink
The United States is the largest country in the world, a capitalist nation centered around the mighty dollar. Wall Street, the setting of my painting, is the investment and banking capital of the country. Instead of the classic men in suits, I put Emperor Penguins for their resemblance. Even though humans are one of the most intelligent species on the planet, it is tragic how heavy a footprint human life leaves at the detriment of other intelligent creatures like penguins. I used pen and ink, and watercolor to create a social critique of our capitalistic world, which causes climate change and hurts our environment.
6.
A Forgotten Time - 14” x 20” - Oil paint on a wood panel
I experimented with a new technique in this piece: oil painting on a wood panel and wood burning.
I was deeply moved and inspired by what I learned in US history. During the twentieth century’s westward expansion, Manifest Destiny was born. In fulfilling this self-made prophecy, white settlers pushed out Native Americans and bison alike. Bison herds were killed to wipe out Native Americans by destroying their food source and providing profit to settlers through hide sales. Within the century, the once plentiful bison herds were pushed to near extinction. Thankfully, conservation efforts have helped bison populations on the Great Plains rebound.
In my piece, I show a herd diminishing to a skeleton as the bison advance toward the foreground, representing their almost extinction. The bison in the foreground, rising above the skeleton, signifies the return of the majestic species.
7.
Lost in the Light - 30” x 44” - Vine and compressed charcoal
I was inspired to create this large charcoal drawing after learning about Fairy Penguins’ sensitivity to light upon seeing them with my parents last winter in Australia. I portrayed the penguins with sunglasses, a sleeping mask, and a flipper over an eye, all things humans do to protect their eyes from light. I used these items to lighten a couple of serious environmental issues: human impact and light pollution. Humans have reduced their habitat and created light pollution, which can lead the penguins off course from home. By making the image seem at first like a comedy, I hope to make people laugh and draw in the viewer to have compassion for these foot-tall Little Penguins.
8.
Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 70-200 mm lens
I chose to integrate typography and photography in this piece stemming off of my use of text in piece 2. I went to the wetlands near Pescadero with my parents on a search for birds and found this hawk sitting on a light post. My close composition with a plain blue sky background inspired my use of a square shape and a poster like design. Wetlands are at great risk of habitat destruction and birds rely on these precious ecosystems. With a simple message and image I hope to convey a vital conservation message.
9.
Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 24-70 mm lens
Our national parks are essential ecosystems to conserve and most of the US parks are not large enough to support the top species that live there. Awareness is essential and that is the goal with this piece.
10.
Sandpiper - Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 70-200 mm lens
I took this photograph to capture the beauty and agility of sandpipers. On a foggy day in Huntington Beach, CA, while taking a beach walk with my parents, I started following sandpipers and photographing a few of them. Mesmerized by their endless search for food, I captured this bird darting away from an incoming wave.
12.
Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 24-70 mm lens
Inspired by Chris Jordan's project, Midway, I created this archival ink-jet diptych to show American corporations’ impact on our coastal regions. In this piece, I juxtaposed a power station with a marsh. The Manchester Street Power Station is one of the largest polluters in the state of Rhode Island. By contrast, this wetland near Galilee is a haven of biodiversity and a fragile ecosystem. Greenhouse gas emissions are a leading factor in global warming, which threatens our wetlands and the wildlife that resides there. There is hope for saving these precious ecosystems through the efforts of park officials and conservationists. I wanted to highlight this issue as I cannot imagine a world where the beautiful sound of birds chirping no longer sends a clarion call through the air.
13.
Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 24-70 mm lens
The placement of a dragonfly on a dying flower shows what could come to the species itself if we do not work towards changing the human trajectory from another mass extinction. “The assessment classified 95 dragonflies and damselflies as critically endangered, 298 as endangered and 282 as vulnerable — the three “threatened” categories — and 221 as near threatened.”
14.
Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 24-70 mm lens
The scrap yard pictured, “The SIMS Metal Management scrapyard, was ordered to pay 875,000 dollars for violating the Clean Air Act.”
15.
Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 24-70 mm lens
Plastics are a major concern for aquatic ecosystems.
16.
Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR, 24-70 mm lens
Dead fish and other animals are the result of pollution and poor environmental care.