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Strangled Seas
Maxwell Sagermann
Santa Barbara, California
2016, Junior, Art
Reflection
Reflection

I knew I wanted to have the viewers feel connected to the piece, so I decided to depict the ocean in human form being strangled by a hand created of trash. The ocean has a painful expression on its face as the rubbish chokes it. When I started to work on the trash hand monster, I tried to use vibrant colors and large amounts of detail as I wanted it to be the focal point of the piece. The plastic industry also advertises their products with flashy colors to entice their consumers, but are secretly a monster in disguise. Transitioning upwards to the neck, I drew stormy waves to give a stressed vibe; dead fish and oil spilling to enforce the thought of strangulation. I portrayed the head as a healthy ocean to show what it could be like if we conserve it. When drawing the mouth I made it out of fish to symbolize how the majority gets their food from the sea. Finally, I gave all of the marine creatures a subtle hint of being nervous in their expression, as the trash rapidly closes in. I have always had a special spot in my heart for the sea, but over the years I have noticed definite changes in my local ecosystem, so I was happy to create this piece asa voice of my concern.

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Strangled Seas

The 2023 Ocean Awareness Contest – Climate Heroes in Action – closes June 13! Start your submission today! Learn More >

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The 2023 Ocean Awareness Contest – Climate Heroes in Action – closes on June 13!

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