When I started my artwork a question of how can I make a difference? was definitely present in my thoughts most everyday...
Over 1 million marine animals (including mammals, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds) are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean. Currently, it is estimated that there are 100 million tons of plastic in oceans around the world. It is expected that another 60 billion pounds will be produced this year alone. In some areas, the buildup of plastics is estimated to span 5 million square miles. To put it into perspective, that is the equivalent of the area of the U.S. plus India. https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-threats-marine-debris/
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| Seaturtles had already captured my heart! |
I came to believe through the many news stories (see links below for reference) that sea turtles, whales and other sea life somehow represented for me the proverbial canary in the coal mine. I started troubleshooting by seeing both overt and learning about covert pollution in our waterways - ultimately which lead to our oceans.
By examining plastic contamination in our waterways with a sister project and great supportive teamwork of VR/AR artist, John Craig Freeman titled: Flotsam and Jetsam: Plastic Gyres on Main Street we made strides but found it difficult to get full traction yet.
In principle, as we are still working on the above project I found I needed to develop more experience, information and communication strategies.
Meanwhile my work is ongoing in background research. Daring to say that due to my predecessors working with a local water project demonstrating mob tactics I was sidetracked in a 12-month fiasco! This resulted in my resolute frustration, and a slow-down for me in processes for my own projects plus advancing possibilities of art as a bridge to community conversation due to politics for the AR/VR project - social and otherwise. But now, returning to both sides of this project, that is, plastics as well as the sea turtle project, I feel freedom to move forward with confidence and more foundation and clarity.
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| Outdoor pop-up studio! Yankee Homecoming August 2019 |
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| This is wire 'sketch' of the artwork soon to be bronze/welded |
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/11/jaguars-eating-sea-turtles-costa-rica-animals-news/
Sea turtle baby found with many pieces of plastic in her stomach: Article from October 2019.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/05/us/turtle-died-after-ingesting-plastic-trnd/index.html
Man buys sea turtles from open market and releases them back to sea: Article from 2019.
https://www.boredpanda.com/man-buys-turtles-food-market-releases-to-sea-rescue-arron-culling/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
Sea turtle babies crushed by builldozers. 2012.
https://annamiticus.com/2012/07/11/trinidad-hundreds-of-baby-sea-turtles-crushed-by-bulldozers/
Sea turtles flash freeze, Cape Cod. 2018.
https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2018-11-27-sea-turtles-cape-cod-dead-cold-stunned
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| Simple roll of baling wire |
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