Looking After the Lake

Looking After The Lake is a tribute to Utah's Great Salt Lake and a rallying cry for the rescue of this essential body of water. Aside from the base of acrylic on linen, all materials used in this piece were collected from the drying beds of the Great Salt Lake. Sagebrush, bones, feathers, brine shrimp flotsam, and other organic materials were incorporated to accurately depict the ecosystem and defining color palette of the infamous lake.

At the time of this painting's creation, the Great Salt Lake has declined to 35% of its capacity. If the saline lake dries up, many critical species will be subject to extinction, and residents of the state of Utah will be subject to dust storms filled with arsenic and other toxic minerals and metals.