THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERIES

After experiencing the effects of the “red tide” coupled with algae blooms in August, I visited the United State Sugar Corporation’s national headquarters. I wanted to get to the source of the pesticide- polluted water and resulting dead marine life washing up on my beach in South Florida. Then I thought about dead zones of oxygen-depleted water in Lake Erie, a body of water that I‘ve swum in, boated on, and eaten fish from, for most of my life. Translucency was a goal. With these thoughts in mind, this painting sprung up in a matter of minutes.  The paint was thinned with a medium, mixed with marble dust, wax, and sand, applied with a trowel.  Elements of the painting are wind, water, and water spouts mixing up pollutants in the center. This painting is giving off signs that water pollution and poisoning are issues that I should explore as an artist.