Reflection

Reflection

This piece depicts pelican struggling to take flight due to an oil spill. I chose oil pollution as the one type of ocean pollution and made meaning out of it by encouraging all people to take responsibility for conserving the planet we all share. In the artwork, I depicted the threat of oil figuratively as hands grasping and pulling at the bird to show that humans are accountable for the effects of the oil spill. As the dominant species of our planet, we humans have the responsibility to respect the earth and the other inhabiting creatures we share it with. There is an oil splash shaped as a clawing hand behind the bird in an ominous, looming sense with its hand wrapped around the bird’s neck to display a life-threatening danger. A smaller hand rises from the oily water and reaches for the bird’s tail. I painted the choppy ocean waves and clouds of smoke in order to convey a sense of turmoil and danger. Oil spills have a devastating impact on marine life of the surrounding area. According to the National Ocean Service, oil makes the water repellency of a bird’s feathers ineffective, which leaves them unable to insulate from cold water. As a result, many animals die from hypothermia. The U.S. Department of Commerce states that animals near the sea surface, such as sea otters and seabirds, are most affected by oil spills. We all must take part in the effort to protect our ocean.