Sharks n' Waves
Sharks n' Waves is a series that focuses primarily on sharks in their environment. This series is meant to bring to light the beauty and majesty of this type of animal-- a reminder that they are a keystone species and a necessary component to our seas.
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Why Sharks?
I did not realize sharks would become such a passion and inspiration later in life-- I just knew I loved them from a young age. I would sneak watching Jaws with my sister since the age of 4 or 5 (since my parents didn't allow it), but I was never interested in the gore aspect or the fact it was a thriller film-- I just wanted to see the real footage of a great white that was snuck in between all the attack scenes.
My passion for sharks only grew stronger after I experienced a few encounters on my own with them, the first of which had taken place in Mozambique, Africa, while I was on an internship for Underwater Photography (through Africa Media/Oceans Campus, which is run by Fiona Ayerst). Unfortunately, it was the lack of seeing sharks due to overfishing and fin poaching that really made me look into how sharks are viewed and treated around the world. People generally put thoughts of them aside because they are feared and misunderstood… their beauty and elegance not even bothered to be examined. This sparked an idea, which began as small watercolor portraits and grew into a painting series I am to continue throughout my life. These series are dedicated to the underwater world and it’s keystone species—sharks. Since then, almost all of my oil painting, acrylic and watercolor subjects have been sharks or animals that are a part of the ocean system. I paint in hopes to bring out the beauty and portrait of these animals, to display a closer look at them to help negate the fear, peak curiosity and unveil beauty. I truly believe the more you ignite the love about something, especially an animal that is most commonly feared—the more chance you have protecting it. Since my experience in Africa, I have done talks about sharks and what it was like to encounter them, as well as working with children to teach how to draw them. Since then I incorporate the importance and amazement of sharks in my own classroom for Middle and High School students. I continue to work with a non-profit organization a friend of mine began back in 2013 (while on the Underwater Photography Internship together in Mozambique) called ‘Love The Oceans’. The organization revolves around educating local children about the marine life they will eventually grow to fish as they get older. My friend, Chess Trotman and her team go back yearly to do research and help educate the children through art projects and activities revolving around learning about the ocean, sharks and rays. I have made the logo for her organization and continue to make artwork for them to use for coloring books, mural projects and apparel. I have great hope for the younger generation and what it will do to participate in the conservation of this species.
Sharks are the first animals I truly grew to admire. They made me realize any thing or being can be beautiful if you look at it at the right angle and disregard sinking into society’s common viewpoints.
Thank you for reading,
K.C.K.
Links:
www.lovetheoceans.org
My passion for sharks only grew stronger after I experienced a few encounters on my own with them, the first of which had taken place in Mozambique, Africa, while I was on an internship for Underwater Photography (through Africa Media/Oceans Campus, which is run by Fiona Ayerst). Unfortunately, it was the lack of seeing sharks due to overfishing and fin poaching that really made me look into how sharks are viewed and treated around the world. People generally put thoughts of them aside because they are feared and misunderstood… their beauty and elegance not even bothered to be examined. This sparked an idea, which began as small watercolor portraits and grew into a painting series I am to continue throughout my life. These series are dedicated to the underwater world and it’s keystone species—sharks. Since then, almost all of my oil painting, acrylic and watercolor subjects have been sharks or animals that are a part of the ocean system. I paint in hopes to bring out the beauty and portrait of these animals, to display a closer look at them to help negate the fear, peak curiosity and unveil beauty. I truly believe the more you ignite the love about something, especially an animal that is most commonly feared—the more chance you have protecting it. Since my experience in Africa, I have done talks about sharks and what it was like to encounter them, as well as working with children to teach how to draw them. Since then I incorporate the importance and amazement of sharks in my own classroom for Middle and High School students. I continue to work with a non-profit organization a friend of mine began back in 2013 (while on the Underwater Photography Internship together in Mozambique) called ‘Love The Oceans’. The organization revolves around educating local children about the marine life they will eventually grow to fish as they get older. My friend, Chess Trotman and her team go back yearly to do research and help educate the children through art projects and activities revolving around learning about the ocean, sharks and rays. I have made the logo for her organization and continue to make artwork for them to use for coloring books, mural projects and apparel. I have great hope for the younger generation and what it will do to participate in the conservation of this species.
Sharks are the first animals I truly grew to admire. They made me realize any thing or being can be beautiful if you look at it at the right angle and disregard sinking into society’s common viewpoints.
Thank you for reading,
K.C.K.
Links:
www.lovetheoceans.org
Pictured above is a compilation of shark paintings-- using inverted colors to display the beauty and brilliance of these animals, who are most commonly represented by fear and negativity. By using colors that 'invert' the image, I hope to bring to attention an animal who is usually neglected and deeply suffering from humanity and its abuses--- especially when it comes to 'shark fin soup' and other trades. The more we become aware and think about sharks as something other than a supposed threat, the more we are able to do to protect them.
Invert the image, 'invert' what you think you know about sharks and the pessimistic views set by society.
Although their rows of teeth may be the first thing you notice, I can assure you--- you will also find grace, charm and a curiosity which mirrors our own.
Invert the image, 'invert' what you think you know about sharks and the pessimistic views set by society.
Although their rows of teeth may be the first thing you notice, I can assure you--- you will also find grace, charm and a curiosity which mirrors our own.
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It's never "just one"...
The pictures you will find while digging deeper into the images above are all animals personally encountered by myself and others. Some of which we were fortunate to encounter while diving in the ocean---others we had the misfortune of witnessing on the beach, dead or dying.
What we saw is nothing compared to what goes on all around the world. According to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: "Over 8,000 tons of shark fins are processed each year, with the fins only amounting to 4% of the shark's bodyweight. This means that some 200,000 tons of shark are thrown back into the sea and discarded."
Since nets and long lines are indiscriminate, and most commonly used, those caught in them are not just sharks. Bycatch such as dolphins, turtles, mantas, whales and many other "protected" species suffer a similar fate as the sharks which are caught.
What we saw is nothing compared to what goes on all around the world. According to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: "Over 8,000 tons of shark fins are processed each year, with the fins only amounting to 4% of the shark's bodyweight. This means that some 200,000 tons of shark are thrown back into the sea and discarded."
Since nets and long lines are indiscriminate, and most commonly used, those caught in them are not just sharks. Bycatch such as dolphins, turtles, mantas, whales and many other "protected" species suffer a similar fate as the sharks which are caught.
Unfortunately, due to unsustainable fishing, sharks and rays aren't the only ones affected - although they are targeted the most. And the methods of execution are brutal....
...however, there is hope.
Only through awareness can we be inspired to make changes.
Love The Oceans
Love The Oceans is a non-profit organization led by my friend and fellow ocean enthusiast, Francesca Trotman (and her team). The goal of this non-profit is to achieve a Marine Protected Area for the Inhumane Province in Mozambique, Africa. Each year, Chess and her volunteers work with the locals to help them achieve sustainable fishing and educate future fishermen about the nature and wildlife they encounter in the ocean each day.
One method of education is through painting and remodeling schools --- I've continually worked with Chess to create new design ideas for the local children to paint, in hopes that a better understanding of the different animals they paint will lead to more inclination of preservation of those animals in the future.
Please visit here for more information:
https://lovetheoceans.org/gallery/guinjata-school/
One method of education is through painting and remodeling schools --- I've continually worked with Chess to create new design ideas for the local children to paint, in hopes that a better understanding of the different animals they paint will lead to more inclination of preservation of those animals in the future.
Please visit here for more information:
https://lovetheoceans.org/gallery/guinjata-school/
What YOU Can DO
Volunteer for non-profit organizations such as Love The Oceans - their goal is to work with the locals in Mozambique to help achieve sustainable fishing, whilst protecting and studying endangered species.
Link here.
Link here.
Also, monitor where and from whom you purchase seafood - as well as what kind you purchase! Stay away from shark fin soup - apex predators such as sharks contain a VERY high level of mercury, which is toxic for humans.
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***The following is written and video is made by a good friend of mine, Angneus Reid, for her Photojournalism Final Project - I thought it was appropriate to share to expand more on my friend Chess's organization, Love The Oceans.***
How many people do you think were killed by sharks last year? You might be surprised to realize that only 6 people were killed in 2015, yet sharks are portrayed as vicious, man-eating creatures of the sea.
Kyra Kalageorgi is an artist who's using her creativity and artwork to promote a positive message of sharks by working with the organization Love The Oceans.
Every year, over 100 million sharks are killed by commercial fisheries. They kill them for their fins, meat, liver oil, cartilage, and other parts of the shark, which is driving some of the shark populations towards extinction.
Sharks grow slowly and reproduce only a few times over their lifetimes. This makes them very vulnerable and slow to recover from depletion. Their depletion poses a serious risk for the entire ocean ecosystem. The sharks control their prey's population, and entire habitats can be lost without them.
Love The Oceans goal is to protect endangered species, establish a protected area in Mozambique, and work towards sustainable fishing. They hope that through research, teaching locals, and diving they can help us move towards a more sustainable future for sharks and the entire ecosystem.
Below is a video featuring an interview with Kyra Kalageorgi and showcasing her artwork highlighting sharks along with her current projects.
-Written by Angneus Reid
Direct link: http://aigneisreid.blogspot.com/2016/04/final-project-photo-story-on-love-oceans.html
Kyra Kalageorgi is an artist who's using her creativity and artwork to promote a positive message of sharks by working with the organization Love The Oceans.
Every year, over 100 million sharks are killed by commercial fisheries. They kill them for their fins, meat, liver oil, cartilage, and other parts of the shark, which is driving some of the shark populations towards extinction.
Sharks grow slowly and reproduce only a few times over their lifetimes. This makes them very vulnerable and slow to recover from depletion. Their depletion poses a serious risk for the entire ocean ecosystem. The sharks control their prey's population, and entire habitats can be lost without them.
Love The Oceans goal is to protect endangered species, establish a protected area in Mozambique, and work towards sustainable fishing. They hope that through research, teaching locals, and diving they can help us move towards a more sustainable future for sharks and the entire ecosystem.
Below is a video featuring an interview with Kyra Kalageorgi and showcasing her artwork highlighting sharks along with her current projects.
-Written by Angneus Reid
Direct link: http://aigneisreid.blogspot.com/2016/04/final-project-photo-story-on-love-oceans.html
This video is meant to highlight to what is going on in the ocean world. It is meant to bring awareness to the fact that everything we do is directly connected to the state of our planet and its inhabitants.
***Some images represented are thanks to screen shots from Google, CNN, MantaTrust, Zee Norden, Garret Apel, Eugenio N, and the film The Cove.
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