Oil Spill
Jane Skafte, 2015
Colored pencil on paper, 22” x 30”
Image © 2015, courtesy of the artist
About the Artist
Using colored pencil, Jane Skafte creates multi-dimensional drawings of environmental issues. In “Oil Spill,” Skafte turns her attention to the BP Deep Horizon spill and portrays the far-ranging impact of the disaster on marine ecosystems. In her depictions of the spill’s aftermath, Skafte attempts to contain through polygon geometries that which could not be contained by a host of private and government response efforts. She uses the unique perspectives of her drawing to present the various faces of environmental degradation and highlight the need to approach environmental problems from multiple angles.
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Delve
In the artist’s words:
“The BP Deep Horizon oil spill happened a few years ago, but the degradation to the environment is still problematic, and in this drawing I have illustrated mangroves, oil soaked pelicans and dying coral reefs.”
Learn
From Global Footprint Network:
While the carbon footprint—the largest component of the Ecological Footprint—is contributing to climate change on a global level, humanity’s addiction to oil also has had devastating effects on local ecosystems, when things go wrong. One example is an oil spill, as depicted in this artwork.
Interpret
Reserved for art-interpretive content.
Act
Featured Actions:
* Slay vampire energy! Turn off and unplug computers, appliances and other electronics when not in use. Or think big and buy energy-efficient appliances and go solar.
* Line dry laundry! Hang laundry to dry as often as you can rather than using a clothes dryer.
* Your pledge will be counted in Earth Day Network’s “A Billion Acts of Green” campaign. Learn more about this campaignhere.
Reflect
Should we be pursuing fossil fuels to the far reaches of our planet? Or are the risks simply too great in areas like the Arctic? In this article, World Wildlife Fund addresses therisks of Arctic drilling.