Painter España Garcia’s work straddles the line between realism and surrealism, blending realistic portraits of ocean life and land plants with abstract elements and colorful neons. Her work blends concepts from urban artwork and graffiti with classical realist techniques, producing paintings and products that are as signature as the creatures who inspire them. Her work is often focused on specific plants and animals. From gorillas to cacti, España captures the beauty of the natural world with a special eye for the fascinating creatures who inhabit our world’s oceans.
But Españahas taken her love of the natural world a step further than just appreciating it in her artistic practice. By stepping into the shoes of real-world conservationists, España has gained awareness of the hurdles they face in protecting our planet’s most precious resources while using her unique talents to amplify their message. España’s body of work is not just an opportunity to fall in love with an animal who a viewer may never have seen portrayed in such a delicate light, but also, a call to action–to consider what this world would look like without these beautiful and intriguing creatures.
In this exclusive interview, España dives deep into the roots of her interest in conservation, the inspiration she finds there, and the ways she hopes her work and the efforts of other artists can help drive interest in this exceptional cause.
Aligning conservation and art isn’t something I have totally figured out. I have seen that through mural work of, say, endangered animals, awareness has grown publicly. On a smaller scale, through my own work, I depict marine animals that many times raise questions in those who view it. I see that as an opportunity to tell that animal’s story…
Exclusive Interview with España Garcia
How did you first get interested in conservation?
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I got into conservation, but I remember what sparked me in that direction. I was eleven when I first learned about recycling paper. I would sift through paper in our house and pile it for recycling and I would tell everyone about this brilliant idea called recycling! At that same time I heard about electric cars too–we’re talking like 1990. I remember thinking, ‘Who wouldn’t jump on these new ideas to help our planet??’ But here we are 30 years later and, well, we know where we still are.
How did you become interested in oceans and their inhabitants? What draws you to those ecosystems?
I became drawn to the ocean and its inhabitants as a toddler. My family was fortunate enough to have an encyclopedia (pre-internet), and I remember vigorously flipping through all the animal pages and asking my mom to read them to me. After that, I remember seeing the ocean for the first time at four, which just deepened my curiosity.
How do you believe art and conservation can align?
Aligning conservation and art isn’t something I have totally figured out. I have seen that through mural work of, say, endangered animals, awareness has grown publicly. On a smaller scale, through my own work, I depict marine animals that many times raise questions in those who view it. I see that as an opportunity to tell that animal’s story, and place the art buyer in an important position to make a difference or to learn new information. Visual images are impactful. They have the ability to transmute perspectives, evoke emotions, disseminate information, all with a look.
What have you learned from your work with conservation organizations?
I’ve learned that there is so much more to do. This is the tip of the iceberg, but it needs to be the tipping point for the survival of our planet and of our species. This isn’t an exaggeration.
Can you tell us about some of your adventures? Where have you worked in the field and what was it like?
One of my latest projects was with Project Hiu. This shark conservation organization is based out of Lombok, Indonesia. Their story is incredibly inspiring in my opinion. It was founded by Maddison Steward. What they’ve done is befriended the shark fishermen of a nearby island and offered them a deal: take tourists to pristine diving areas, and get paid–sometimes more than fishing for sharks. Which, by the way, many of them don’t want to do. Fishing for sharks is dangerous, and it can take them out to sea for days on end, so it’s easy to see why they would rather be tour guides.
I had the opportunity to go on these shark snorkeling tours; it was mind blowing! So many gorgeous sharks amongst impossible fluorescent coral and brilliant fish! I had never seen anything like it outside of ocean documentaries.
My contribution for this project was to paint a mural on a boat. It’s a mural of a hammerhead shark tattooed with the story of project Hiu in a style I created for them. We spent a lot of time with the fishermen and their families. Such generous and kind people. I think about them everyday.
What kind of conservation projects are you most intrigued by?
The hands on kind. The kind with grass roots and passionate leaders. The kind with resilient people who won’t give up. Though I gravitate towards ocean conservation, I am open to all conservation. All of it is important.
What kinds of ocean creatures or plants are you most inspired by? What qualities of those animals and plants draw you to them?
My work will tell you that sharks, octopuses, and land plants are what most inspire me, and it’s true. However, there are so many insanely fascinating creatures in the ocean that I plan to paint. Though our knowledge of the ocean has expanded significantly, we still know very little about it. I look forward to new discoveries to feature in my work.
What are some ways you use inspiration from wildlife conservation and the natural world in your artistic practice? What are some of the creatures you’ve featured in your work as a result of what you have learned and experienced about conservation?
Wildlife is my inspiration, and almost exclusively what I use as my subject matter. Choosing under-represented animals species, or many times badly represented animals (sharks), and placing them in surreal settings with fragile elements like flowers, birds, and paper cranes makes us rethink this prehistoric animal. In a way, I believe this is an act of conservation.
I hope that art can serve as a portal through which conversation begins. Opening someone’s eyes is all we need sometimes. I think all efforts matter when it comes to conservation. We sometimes can’t imagine the domino effect of our actions or inaction no matter how big or small.
What is something you wish more people knew about issues facing our oceans? Do you use your artistic practice to bring attention to those specific issues?
I wish people truly grasped how imperative the health of our oceans is to the survival of our species. For example, the offset that would happen if one day sharks disappeared from the oceans (called trophic cascade), would be devastating to us. In short, there would be less oxygen on earth. The Oceans produce more oxygen than all the rainforests combined, remove 1/3 of the atmosphere’s man-made CO2, and control the planet’s temperature and weather. This could cause as a ripple effect starting with the removal of sharks from our oceans.
In what ways do you hope art can affect how we think about issues affecting our natural world? Do you have any ideas or hopes for the future of art and conservation?
I hope that art can serve as a portal through which conversation begins. Opening someone’s eyes is all we need sometimes. I think all efforts matter when it comes to conservation. We sometimes can’t imagine the domino effect of our actions or inaction no matter how big or small. My hope is for the younger generations to not feel helpless with the planetary conditions they’ve inherited. I have hope beyond what some people say is possible because there are incredible people and organizations doing great work throughout the world!
How can artists who are interested in conservation work get involved? Are there any organizations you recommend or ways to get started?
If there are artists looking to get involved in conservation, I think a good way to start is by representing it in your work, cleaning beaches anywhere, and reducing your consumption of sea life. Also, reaching out to organizations that resonate with you. I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute to some organizations and it’s been mainly through me reaching out. Here are some organizations I’ve worked with and/or recommend. This is a short list, but if you have some you think I should reach out to send them my way!
Pangeaseed foundation, Sea walls, Project Hiu, Surf Rider foundation, Discovery shark, Shark education, Octonation, Coral gardeners, Coral restoration foundation, Ocean conservancy.
