When art and environmentalism collide

by Meena Hussein

May 16, 2013

polar bear family

A polar bear family in Svalbard.

One of the most rewarding things about my work is that I get to meet people almost everyday who are inspired by Greenpeace.

I met Pennsylvania fine artist Justin Ballew over twitter a couple of weeks ago. Inspired by our save the Arctic campaign, he tweeted us this illustrated poem. The poem is fun and simple, and I emailed him to ask him what inspired him to do this. Here’s what he said:

“I am a fine artist that does oil portraits and landscapes, mostly by finger painting. I create works that inspire and connect the viewer with the work. My landscapes have included a lot of mountains and snow, and I have always wanted to travel to the Arctic to document it on canvas. Over the past year I have read articles and seen footage of the disappearing ice. The feeling of doing something to help is strong, so i decided to start with this simple story about a polar bear and her cub.”

Check out his poem below. You can see more of Justin’s work on Pinterest and Twitter.

Justin Ballew Arctic Poem

Justin Ballew Arctic Poem

Justin Ballew Arctic Poem

We Need Your Voice. Join Us!

Want to learn more about tax-deductible giving, donating stock and estate planning?

Visit Greenpeace Fund, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable entity created to increase public awareness and understanding of environmental issues through research, the media and educational programs.