Reflection

Reflection

Your shadow can reach beyond your silhouette, leaving an incredible imprint on the world's ecological canvas. This idea highlights that each individual decision we make, whether big or small, positive or negative, can leave a lasting impact on the environment. In my painting, I chose to put a few of Sylvia Earle’s works and achievements inside of her shadow, which is clearly much larger than her actual size. This demonstrates that Earle’s hard work reaches beyond her immediate surroundings, creating a ripple effect that benefits the much greater ecological canvas. My painting is split into two halves. The top part depicts what the world looks like due to the destructive effects of climate change: bleached coral, aggressive waves, and the seemingly impossible interaction of polar bears and penguins. In contrast, the bottom half portrays a much calmer, and more serene, ocean after the shadow of her work ripples throughout the ocean, further showing how impactful Earle’s work is for the environment. Earle’s work, along with my painting, is an inspiration to others to stand up, and take action to tackle climate change. We can all be that ripple in the environment, creating a better world. The choice is ours.