Inspired by my experiences traveling and observing aquatic life, my capstone thematic series focuses on the preservation of marine animals and habitats. My inspiration for Entanglement came from visiting the injured turtles at the loggerhead marine center. Seeing firsthand how animals have been harmed by humans and man-made items was really alarming. I felt compelled to use these artworks to draw attention to important environmental issues including fisheries by catch, poaching, coastal development, pollution and climate change. 

These artworks blend representational acrylic painting with more abstract and suggestive printmaking in order to create more compelling and layered compositions. In all three pieces, I used printing techniques to highlight the debris that harm aquatic animals including netting and soda bottle rings. The boldness and saturation of the color palette makes the viewer really focus on the subject matter. As the daughter of architects, I grew up drawing with my parents and sister. Now, art has become an outlet for me to escape the daily stress of balancing school, athletics, and my social life. Art allows me the freedom to research, create and share my opinions on issues important to me including the protection and preservation of marine life.