I’m working on a new collection to raise awareness about climate change. As you know, I use my art to address important issues such as sustainability, biodiversity and social causes.
For quite some time now, I’ve wanted to paint something that would help me convey the message about the importance of preserving and protecting the environment, particularly in light of climate change.
New Painting - Rainforest: The World Breathes Here
I decided to create a painting for this new collection that captures the essence of the rainforest and all the life within that ecosystem. I’ve titled this piece ‘Rainforest: The World Breathes Here’. This painting features various elements of the local flora and fauna, rendered in rich colours and with great detail. I tried to create a denser forest with plenty of greenery and a waterfall at the centre of the painting to give the eyes a moment’s respite from all the detail.
The frame is also part of the artwork, as I’ve customised it with a background made from fibre fabric to give it a more organic, natural feel.
The Importance of the Rainforest
Rainforests are critical in combating climate change by acting as massive natural carbon sinks, absorbing billions of tonnes of CO2 annually. They stabilise global temperatures, regulate the water cycle via transpiration, and produce oxygen, earning them the title "lungs of the planet". Deforestation reverses this, releasing stored carbon and accelerating global warming.
The rainforests contain around 50% of all the Earth’s species of plants and animals, though they cover only about 6% of the land surface. (8,000 years ago, they covered about double the current area.) They are a priceless and economically vital source of food and medicine, wood and water, building and craft materials and much, much more.
The Painting
Find out more about how I created this painting and the frame in my YouTube video.