ecology

open studio: coral reef /  by kelly heaton

Coral Reef, 2016.  Digital photo collage.  Kelly Heaton

Protect our rich natural heritage.  Heaven isn't somewhere we go when we die; it's right here, right now, and we're all at risk of going to Hell if we don't take care of the environment.

open studio: destination wedding /  by kelly heaton

Destination Wedding, 2016. Digital photo collage. Kelly Heaton

Coral reefs have it bad.  Coral is suffering from so many different problems, it's hard to be optimistic about the existence of reef ecology beyond this century.  Increased temperatures and UV radiation lead to bleaching; water pH (think acid rain) disintegrates coral; chemical-run off is poisonous; biological waste supports algal growth where it does not belong; fisherman actually detonate underwater explosives to "catch" fish; fishermen also douse coral with cyanide to paralyze fish for capture; boats gouge coral with propellors and anchors; sediment from erosion and dredging smothers coral; people collect coral; swimmers stand on reefs without realizing their fragility; and then there's trash.

Snorkeling is one of my favorite activities.  It's like entering another world, full of color, texture and sculptural form.  There are few experiences more amazing than exploring a living reef.  Unfortunately, it is ever-harder to find reefs that are healthy ... but there I go sinking into environmental depression.  I need to make more pretty and humorous images.  Vorwärts!

open studio: catching UV rays /  by kelly heaton

Catching UV Rays in at Tired Beach, Colorado (2016).  Digital photo collage.  Kelly Heaton

Technically, we can't see UV... but if we could, it would look something like extremely rich purple.  The good news about big holes in the ozone layer is that we will have plenty of opportunity to train (more likely evolve) our eyes to see weird photons. Seeing as the oceans will rise a good amount, I figure that Colorado could have some nice beachfront property.  I hear that they have a massive dump of old tires in Colorado, a "tire graveyard" as they morbidly call it.  Tires are very slow to decompose and are not prone to erosion like soil or sand.  What a great place to relax in the late Anthropocene!

open studio: pretty bad /  by kelly heaton

Pretty Bad, 2016.  Digital photo collage (sketch).  Kelly Heaton

I'm old enough to remember when water was free.  Bottled water started appearing in the late 1970s as a gourmet fad (think Evian and Perrier).  I thought it was a ridiculous luxury product, even more absurd when they started to bottle plain water.  Tap water is safe and free.  I get why people drink bottled water in countries where sanitation is a concern, but here in the USA? Wikipedia says "The U.S. is the largest consumer market for bottled water in the world, followed by Mexico, China, and Brazil.  In 2008, U.S. bottled water sales topped 8.6 billion US gallons (33,000,000 m3) for 28.9% of the U.S. liquid beverage market, exceeding sales of all other beverages except carbonated soft drinks, they are followed by fruit juices, and sports drinks.  Americans drink 21 US gallons (79 L) of bottled water per capita per year."  Forget the waste of money, it's just plain bad behavior.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottled_water

open studio: apocalypse of the heart /  by kelly heaton

Apocalypse of the Heart, 2016.  Digital photo collage. Kelly Heaton

In case you're wondering why the flurry of blogging, I am once again bedridden - this time, with a bad cough and malaise.  I'm sketching ideas on my computer, so it's not all bad.  In case you're wondering why the cheesy apocalyptic image: I am obsessed with human impact on the planet and it makes me awfully depressed, but I am determined to cure myself with humor and beauty.  As a child of the 70's, there's nothing dearer to my heart than a technicolor view of life, especially where love and nature are concerned.  Admittedly, "Total Eclipse of the Heart" is a product of the '80s, but the shoe fits.

open studio: climate turner /  by kelly heaton

Climate Turner, 2016.  Digital photocollage (sketch) using trash, smog, wires, electronic components and the composition of J. W. Turner's painting "Peace - Burial at Sea," from 1842.