No Time to Waste.
Eco-Art Competition 2021.

As the global climate rises, sea levels have followed suit, slowly creeping upwards. While most people may grasp warmer temperatures as perfect weather, the reality is quite the opposite. Glaciers are melting, water is expanding, and coastlines are washing away under global warming. Not only does this harm coastline infrastructure, but rising sea levels also destroys various ecosystems. I still have fond memories of my childhood vacations to the beach, walking around the coastal towns and admiring the scenery while breathing in the salty ocean breeze. It devastates me that the places I once visited could be completely swept away. Because this is all happening over long periods of time, we don’t necessarily recognize the sheer degree of its consequences. I wanted this piece to depict the urgency of rising sea levels and foreshadow what a future of ignorance would look like. On a canvas with oil paint, I painted an abandoned city, entirely submerged underwater. Moss climbs up the cement, symbolizing the wear of the buildings. Barely any marine life survives: only several fish swim around. Trash litters the surface of the ocean and one piece even gets caught in a sea turtle. To depict the urgency of time, I painted a young girl falling underwater, suffocating as she drowns in the ocean. Her home has already been flooded and she barely has any time to live. I hope that my piece raises awareness and reminds everyone of the possible future if action isn't taken. We cannot continue to ignore the damage we are doing to our planet and must work together to maintain the beautiful Earth for future generations.