The Air We Breathe

Jessica Lightfoot, Untitled

Acrylic paint on canvas, 2021

This piece is a stunning painting of multicolored clouds floating through a peaceful sky, perhaps at dawn. It truly embodies the word tranquil. A sense of calm washes over the viewer as they are led into a quiet world of pure adoration for the environment. One is truly told of the beauty that exists in our skies, as the artwork reminds us to appreciate the clean air that might fade away with time. As the author shared, “I have made a couple of pieces about the environment, but one came to mind when you asked for idealistic artwork. This work was created in a time of appreciation. A big inspiration for me was the sky and the movement of clouds. I focused on their slow nature when the world is calm and there is a slight breeze. Just as being in nature aids people with their irritations, I used the environment and my leisurely activity of choice to comfort myself. But just as nature is unpredictable, sometimes the thoughtful slow strokes became rough jabs of expression because my attitude fluctuated as time changed and the work unfolded.” -Isabella Kershner

Isabella Kershner, Epidemic (Modern Ophelia)

Digital collage, 2022

This digital collage depicts a young woman, covered in used cigarettes in a semi-comatose state, on the backdrop of a green pasture whose air is completely polluted with a combination of disembodied hands holding cigarettes and smokestacks from factories. The title is a nod to Shakespeare’s famous heroine, Ophelia, who tragically ended her own life. In this modern world, many people are slowly suffocating themselves, either by breathing polluted air, or knowingly allowing it to enter their body. Both smoking, vaping, and air pollution kill, and this piece reminds us that it is important to protect ourselves as well as the environment. -Isabella Kershner