Eco-Art Competition 2022

In the United States, it is very common to have a mowed lawn. In fact, more than 63,000 square miles of land are covered with non-native species of turf grass. Keeping up a well-groomed, green lawn requires a lot of water, pesticides, and fertilizers, as well as gasoline and hard work. I feel that my artwork relates to the theme of “Plant the Seed” in the sense that by viewing it, the scene will plant an idea into their consciousness. They may pause and consider allowing some of their land to revert to its native species. They will see in the artwork the beauty and benefits of a diverse meadow. There are many benefits to allowing lawns to return to meadows. Meadows can absorb stormwater much better than lawns and can help prevent pesticides and fertilizers from entering streams. An increase of diversity can provide food and habitat for many more species of birds, animals, and insects. The many types of flowers will provide sweet nectar and pollen for important pollinators such as honey bees, whose numbers are declining. Because of the low maintenance, money and resources are saved and pollution is reduced. The wildflowers can be very beautiful to gaze upon and can provide sweet fragrances. To make my artwork, I used watercolor paints and some fine point pens on an 18” x 24” sheet of watercolor paper. I hope that when people see the obvious contrast between the well-groomed, mowed lawn on the right with the diverse meadow on the left, they will consider allowing some of their land to return to its native species. This will provide a healthy habitat for wildlife as well as provide many other environmental benefits.