Mixed Media/photo print
18×24 inches
$250

It is human nature to leave our mark on the world. From the Pyramids in Egypt to Stonehenge in England, there are monumental displays of human ingenuity, creativity, and passion all over the globe. Preserve and Protect is a project that takes this concept of ‘leaving our mark’ and considers the impact it has on our natural environments. Creating art within British Columbia’s beautiful forests, I use the environment as my canvas, adding to with biodegradable, eco-friendly art. 

The purpose of this project is to start a conversation surrounding the issues of sustainability and preservation by humanizing the environment. In a month-long process, emotive portraits are placed in the wild and documented during their decay. These portraits create a surreal landscape, providing a fanciful escape. Inspiring deeper thoughts about how we interact with our environment, from the positive to the negative, is ingrained in my artistic ethos. 

Often, we are quick to take nature for granted. My placement of this bio-degradable art is deliberate: I want people to give pause, taking the time to see the wonder around them. Just maybe, it will inspire those who witness it to keep our green spaces safe. 

Artist Bio:

Alex Stewart is a Vancouver-based artist specializing in stencil art. Studying at the University of the Fraser Valley, he received a Diploma of Visual Arts in 2011.

Stewart’s work focuses on creating a narrative for the continued efforts toward sustainability and environmental preservation. He creates in natural settings such as the forests of British Columbia in order to humanize our environment. The result is a merging of street art and plein air depicting soft, ephemeral female figures interacting with nature. Stewart’s public mural work also reflects these values by bringing the natural world into the urban.

During his career, Stewart has acted as a repeat guest lecturer at the University of the Fraser Valley and has appeared in publications such as Megaphone Magazine (May 2019).

Find Alex online at:

@enlifestudio
http://www.enlifestudio.com/