Reflection

Since the pandemic, masks have became the new common waste. Without thinking of ways to recycle and reduce these masks, they are dumped into the ocean. This action reflects society as selfish and careless as we are constantly hurting other organisms without thinking about the consequences. I was inspired to make this piece after reading an article saying that soon there will be more masks than jellyfish in the ocean. Without a careful examination, masks, plastic gloves, and jellyfish are hard to tell apart, hence the title 'Optical Illusion.' While we need to use of masks and gloves during a global pandemic, I hope people will take a look at this and realize how serious the problem is. We can recycle masks or find an alternative to lessen the damage we cause to the ocean and marine animals. Even use a cloth mask that can be reused after being washed would help. This piece was painted on a glass (acrylic) board with acrylic paint. For the jellyfish and the gloves, I mixed the paint with a lot of water to create a thin, see-through, plastic-like texture. Painting with acrylic on a slippery surface was a struggle. Another challenge was taking pictures in nature since the wind, sunlight, and waves were out of my control.