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THE EXHIBITION
Surrey youth reveal ‘A Planet in Peril’ in Earth Day Internet art show and competition
The Art of Earth’s Fever [2020]
Nicole Briones, Grade 12 (18 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Coloured Pencil on Paper,
18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 1 (Arts Council of Surrey First Place Finalist Certificate, $200.00 cash prize, and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 14)
The imaginative drawing of a child suffering from dangerous levels of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, as communicated by the thermometer in the subject’s mouth. Human activity (pollution and forest fires) has caused icebergs to melt—as shown by the young girl being submerged in water—and acidity in oceans tthat is toxic to marine life—as represented by the skeleton fish. To treat the symptoms of our ill planet, we need to practice environmentally sustainable values.
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Grey Earth [2020]
Min Kim, Grade 10 (16 Years Old)
Elgin Park Secondary, 13484–24th Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic on Paper, 24 x 16 Inches (61 x 42.5 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 2 (Arts Council of Surrey Second Place Finalist Certificate, $150.00 cash prize, and cover image of SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2000)
A bird’s eye view of an inhuman world filled with toxic factories, ruined habitats, and whales sacrificed for profit.
Art Teachers: Amberlie Perkin & Kirsten Williamson
Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
ArtiFISHial [2020]
Jayden Lee, Grade 11 (16 Years Old)
Fleetwood Park Secondary, 7940–156th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Watercolour, Coloured Pencil, and Black Marker on Paper, 15 1/2 x 20 5/8 Inches (39.4 x 52.4 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 3 (Arts Council of Surrey Third Place Finalist Certificate, $100.00 cash prize, and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 14)
The “twin evils” of marine pollution and overfishing are communicated in this imaginative painting of fish-plastic morphed figures. I wanted to show that micro-plastics are absorbed through the food chain and compete “the circle of death” on the dinner plate, and that overfishing is jeopardizing one-third of the world’s fisheries and killing off billions of bycatch.
Art Teacher: Nicole Porter | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
A Single Prick [2020]
Lena Bhatti, Grade 11 (16 Years Old)
Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, 6151–180th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic on Canvas, 20 x 15 3/4 Inches (50.8 x 40 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 4 (Arts Council of Surrey Fourth Place Finalist Certificate, $50.00 cash prize, and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
The Earth is encapsulated in a bubble about to be pricked by a handheld needle. The bubble represents the ozone layer and communicates how delicate and fragile the ozone layer is. The hand holding the needle shows the cause of the destruction of our ozone layer, humans whose reckless actions are causing our world to fall apart. It’s not hard to destroy our atmosphere; all it takes is “A Single Prick.”
Art Teacher: Ester Volpe | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Back To You [2000]
Lo-Wei (Candice) Chen, Grade 12 (17 Years Old)
École Salish Secondary, 7278–184th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic on Paper, 20 x 14 Inches (50.8 x 35.6 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 5 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
The painting shows a cause and effect relationship between industrial pollutants and human lung disease.
Art Teacher: Sofia Trujillo | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Marine Life Versus Our Waste [2000]
Magan Dayal, Grade 11 (16 Years Old)
Elgin Park Secondary, 13484–24th Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Mixed Media on Board, 16 x 24 Inches (40.6 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 6 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 14)
The collage represents the positives and negatives of the ocean, a water mass containing natural beauty and the ugliness of human industrial waste.
Art Teachers: Amberlie Perkin & Kirsten Williamson | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Limited Water Affected Humans [2000]
Julia He, Grade 10 (15 Years Old)
Elgin Park Secondary, 13484–24th Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Pen and Ink on Paper, 11 3/8 x 17 1/4 Inches (28.9 x 43.8 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 7 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
The theme of my artwork is how people cope with a shortage of fresh water. Depicted is an arid landscape with defoliated trees and piled-up bags of garbage; a small stream (to the right) that has been reduced to a trickle—insufficient to sustain fish that lie scattered across the dry riverbed; a woman (foreground centre) drinking sparingly from her bottle; and a man (upper-right corner) conserving water in an open pit from a diverted stream. Collectively, these elements communicate that: “water is life.”
Art Teachers: Amberlie Perkin & Kirsten Williamson Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Symptomatic [2000]
Thiseni Kristhorubadu, Grade 12 (17 Years Old)
Fleetwood Park Secondary, 7940–156th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic and Ink, 18 x 12 Inches (46 x 30.5 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 8 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
The artwork shows the impact of human activity on the polar ice caps, as denoted by hand and finger marks—the red hand in the centre representing past and future lives lost to climate change; the black fingerprints indicating lasting damage to the ecology; and the white fingerprints reflecting our insubstantial efforts to remedy the problem.
Art Teacher: Nicole Porter | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Fine Dining [2020]
Romiena Barryman, Grade 12 (17 Years Old)
Fraser Heights Secondary, 16060–108th Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic on Canvas Board, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 9 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
An artwork that provokes a visceral response to marine life contaminated with plastic waste on a blood red dinner table. Every minute, the equivalent of one truckload full of plastic enters our oceans. Plastic doesn’t biodegrade; it simply breaks down into smaller pieces and becomes part of the food chain.
Art Teacher: Norma Nickel | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Blue Gold [2020]
Julius Laureles, Grade 12 (17 Years Old)
Guildford Park Secondary, 10707–146th Street, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic, Watercolour, and Black Marker on Paper, 18 1/2 x 14 inches (47 x 35.6 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 10 ((Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)The artwork focuses on the commercial exploitation of fresh water by corporations such as Nestle Canada. Many areas of the world do not have water security due to natural and human-caused disasters. As Canada has 20% of the world’s supply of fresh water, the country should ensure that humanitarian need comes before profits.
Art Teacher: Florence Carlsen | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Plastic Reality [2020]
Taylor Berg, Grade 11 (16 Years Old), Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, 6151–180th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic on Canvas, 20 x 16 Inches (50.8 x 40.6 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 11 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
The artwork is based on the wasteful manufacturing of onetime use plastic containers. I have painted a coral reef inside a water bottle to represent the 26 million tons of plastics dumped into oceans, every year.
Art Teacher: Ester Volpe | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Sustainable Utopia [2000]
Arriyan Ali, Grade 11 (16 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Ballpoint Pen and Watercolour on Paper, 17 1/2 x 23 3/4 Inches (44.5 x 60.3 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 12 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
The visionary artwork shows the benefits of a sustainable planet. The implicit message is: We are capable of changing our habits towards the environment, but it will requires a “real” effort on everyone’s part.
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Fashion Protest [2020]
Esha Barmi, Grade 12 (18 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Watercolour and Ink on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 13 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
Mother Earth as a fashion model lying down in the charred ruins of a forest. Perhaps a fashionista can succeed where scientists have failed in mobilizing the public to save the environment.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Concrete Forest [2020]
Leng Bombase, Grade 11 (16 Years Old),
Sullivan Heights Secondary 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Watercolour and India Ink on Paper, 11 x 15 Inches
(28 x 38.1 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 14 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
A busy street scene of buildings, cars, and foreground people wearing facemasks & respiratory devices, with juxtaposed images of ghostly trees and wildlife that once existed in the place. The implicit message is: Our health and well-being is dependent on Nature conservation.
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
World Within Grasp [2020]
Virgina Chan, Grade 10 (15 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Mixed Media on Paper, 11 x 15 Inches (28 x 38.1 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 15 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
To address the topic question: “How do our actions affect the environment,” I created a broken and stitched together earth using watercolour, salt crystals, pencil shavings, fingerprints, and yarn. My message is: Only through “unity,” can we save this planet!
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
One Little Tree [2020]
Teagan Chow, Grade 9 (14 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Coloured Pencil and Tempera on Paper, 24 x 18 Inches (61 x 46 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 16 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate) This artwork focuses a battle of wills between a determined child (protecting her sapling) and tradesman (representing the pro-development industry). I added elements of clear-cut logging (tree stumps and milled lumber), slash-and-burn farming, and High-rise construction to show the complex issues and politics associated with deforestation.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
We Are Burning Our Planet [2020]
Maddie Cook, Grade 9 (14 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Watercolour on Paper, 14 x 20 Inches (35.6 x 50.8 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 17 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
A symbolic artwork of Gaia and her ecosystems: jungles—vines in her hair; marsh/forests—mushrooms; deserts—dry and cracked lower body; and oceans—blue waves in her eyes. The hand (to the right) setting Mother Earth on fire represents all the companies, politicians, and everyday people who are complicit in causing her destruction through global warming.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Denial ≠ Solution [2020]
Daira Dhillon, Grade 11 (16 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Chalk Pastel on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 18 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
This artwork shows the Earth in distress. I wanted the composition to be bold and made the Earth the brightest element to draw the viewer towards it. I faded the title because I wanted to communicate that mere words cannot save the Earth, i.e. put out fires or stop people from depleting its resources, as seem by oil pouring out from the Earth’s eyes, nose, and mouth. A final element, the crane, adds the final indignity of being subordinate to mankind’s will.
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Ship of Fools [2020]
Heart Dionisio, Grade 11 (16 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Coloured Pencil on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 19 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
An allegorical work inspired from Plato’s Republic and the Pop Art genre. As in the familiar story, we are being lead by leaders (captains of industry) who lack the capacity to lead; whereas, the public-at-large (passengers) are petty and quarrelsome. Rather than getting serious about our environmental mess, we choose the path of denial or escapism.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Normalizing Damage [2020]
Olivia Finlayson, Grade 12 (17 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Coloured Pencil on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 20 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate and image published in SPOTLIGHT on the ARTS, April 2020, Page 15)
A classic battle of wills between the would-be industrialist (boy) and environmental advocate (girl), played out on a chessboard floor in a daycare setting, with a submissive female teacher (top-left) and male-dominated corporate office scene (top-right). The gender-assigned roles (albeit stereotypical) reflects how exploitative versus nurturing behaviors are formed and socially reinforced, all of which undermines an inclusive and sustainable future.
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Can’t Blame the Flames [2020]
Isha Gurm, Grade 9 (14 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Tempera and Coloured Pencil on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 21 (Arts Council of Surrey 26th Place Honourable Mention Certificate)
Human activities have resulted in the burning of our planet Earth. We need to keep and maintain a healthy environment.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Plastic Carnival Tank [2020]
Kylie Haywood, Grade 12 (17 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 18 Inches (61 x 46 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 22 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
The marketing lens of Barnum & Bailey’s, “Greatest Show on Earth,” is incorporated on a “sensationalist” carnival poster that exploits the last living common goldfish as a money-making gimmick. This captive creature is portrayed swimming alone in a tank filled with “plastic” elements to entertain the masses, instead of roaming free like its wild ancestor, the Prussian carp.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Climate Action Now [2020]
Trista Henriksen, Grade 9 (15 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Mixed Media on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 23 (Arts Council of Surrey 27th Place Honourable Mention Certificate)
A global warming collage inspired from the Australian brush fires and climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
A Future We Could Have Grasped [2020]
Janielle Liu, Grade 10 (15 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Mixed Media on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 24 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
My artwork presents a young boy standing between contrasting realities: one side (left) representing the muted world that he lives in, and the other side (right) showing the vibrant world that he wants. The implicit message is: Will virtual reality be the only way that he (and we) can experience nature in the future?
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Razing [2020]
Wynson Rao, Grade 11 (16 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Mixed Media on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 25 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
This artwork is meant to illustrate the different types of beauty in nature and technology, but also the destructive transition from one to the other. The different mediums highlight the hard and soft lines between machine and wilderness. Even though the utopian city of the future and the draconic machines of industry are placed above the natural elements of the piece, the great tree frames the whole landscape, which states that the advanced civilization is not yet free from earth’s influence. I want people to think about the consequences when the last tree is razed.
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
Money Trees [2020]
Syra Tak, Grade 12 (18 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Coloured Pencil and Metallic Marker on Paper, 24 x 18 Inches (61 x 46 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 26 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
“Money Trees” depicts the obtaining of monetary gain through deforestation in Brazil. The Amazon rainforest—known as the “lungs of the earth”—is cast as the protagonist in a morality play based on man’s greed, symbolically represented by Brazilian “real” currency.
Art Teacher: Marc Pelech | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech
The True Cost [2020]
Louise Zhao, Grade 12 (17 Years Old)
Sullivan Heights Secondary, 6248–144th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Mixed Media on Paper, 18 x 24 Inches (46 x 61 Centimetres)
Artwork No. 27 (Arts Council of Surrey 5th–25th Place Finalist Certificate)
“The True Cost” presents the vanities and vulgarities of the fashion industry, including its complicity in animal cruelty, production of toxic cosmetics & clothing, and exploitation of child labour in the supply chain.
Art Teacher: Christina Farrant | Photo Credit: Marc Pelech