markers, colored pencils, ink, gel pen; 20×16”
“My interest within my Social Justice project comes from the concern and feelings I have towards keeping the world less polluted as well as keeping myself and others healthy. From my research I have learned that the production, distribution, and consumption of bottled water does more harm than good to the environment. The production of plastics uses tons of oil to make the waterbottles, and to make the 26 million bottles produced yearly, the amount of oil used rises to 76 million barrels of crude oil. The plastic is made through a process that can result in impurities that can be harmful. The impurities are diethylene glycol and acetaldehyde. The consumption of these can lower blood sugar and increase risk of high blood cholesterol. This impacts our outside environment due to water bottles traveling into our waterways. Only 18% of the plastic produced becomes recycled or reused, leaving others to be flushed into waterways.
The symbolism I used is that a hand from the sky is pouring water from a waterbottle. The water that is poured, however, is nasty, showing what is really in the water that’s sold. If you use UV light on the water, you’ll see little lines in it. These lines represent plastic particles found within water that’s sold.”
ARTIST BIO: Tyler McGowan is a grade 12 student at Butler Tech School of Art studying art under art teacher Mary Catherine Ruby.