Bringing awareness of Plastic Island through art

The crab cup pictured is the work of sophomore Mercy LomelinStudents in a digital illustration class spent three weeks this spring researching the Plastic Island of the Pacific, sometimes called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Ocean currents bring the plastic and trash dumped into the Pacific to the circling patch, estimated to be at least the size of Texas and possibly much larger, killing birds and sea life.

The students in the class taught by Karen Dorff ('85), lecturer in communication design, were assigned to create work that raises awareness of the problem, promotes new solutions or exposes some of the biggest trash offenders in the Pacific. They experimented with analog mark making using traditional printmaking tools and techniques, as well as stamping, monoprinting, painting and drawing. Their work was then scanned and incorporated in illustrations to be integrated in poster and cotton bag designs.

The final posters will be part of a presentation at the Elm Fork Education Center this fall.

 

 

 

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