"Cleaning Up the Hollow"

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! Okay, seriously, other than an occasional bear, those critters are not found anywhere within Montgomery Parks’ boundaries. Others, such as snakes, turtles, frogs, butterflies, spiders, and bees, are found there—and they happen to be some of the creatures affected by litter and pollution.

These critters are also featured in Cleaning Up the Hollow, a painting I created to inspire campers at Meadowside Nature Center. The campers were tasked with a big job: painting a storm drain with the important message that litter from our parks washes down these drains and into our creeks, rivers, the Chesapeake Bay, and eventually the ocean, affecting animals along the way.

I love Edgar Degas’s quote: “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” As an artist, I have a big job: to create a painting that communicates an important message with the greatest possible impact.

Research is a very important part of my work—something many people probably don’t realize when they look at a piece of art. It’s not all about the paint and canvas, or whatever medium or genre the artist is using. For example, through my research, I discovered that cigarette butts and food wrappers are among the most common litter items collected. So, I prominently included a cigarette butt in the turtle’s mouth and placed a little food box behind the turtle’s spoon. The red-eared slider turtle itself is an invasive species that can compete with native turtles.

When creating Cleaning Up the Hollow, I wanted to visualize the habitat where the park’s smaller critters live. Yes, there are creeks and rivers, trees and shrubs, but there are also delicate plants that these small creatures encounter every day. I chose these particular plants and animals because they can be greatly affected by litter and pollution.

Frogs and toads are especially vulnerable because their permeable skin can absorb pollutants from their surroundings. Snakes, turtles, and other wildlife may swallow plastic or become entangled in bags, ribbons, masks, and other discarded items. All of this litter can eventually break down into microplastics that contaminate the soil and water.

Once I decided to put wildflowers in the painting, I needed to decide which flowers to include. As a nature lover, I often photograph flowers that catch my eye. On my frequent hikes through these parks, I have hardly ever come across black-eyed Susans, Maryland’s state flower. I have, however, found mayapples, Jacob’s ladders, wild geraniums, and snowy orchids. These are wildflowers found in Maryland, so into the painting they went! I also had to include milkweed for the monarch butterfly, whose populations have declined dramatically.

The wildflowers themselves can also be harmed. When pollutants and toxins get into the soil, the plants may absorb them, stunting their growth or even causing them to die. Litter can also cover the plants, blocking sunlight and preventing them from growing properly.

Another litter item that really gets to me is the doggie poop bag. For some reason, people pick up that stinky pile of poop, tie it up neatly in a bag—and then leave it on the ground! Leaving poop for everyone to step in is probably worse, but how hard is it to throw the bag in the trash?!

The painting portrays a copperhead snake holding a poop bag as far away from everyone’s noses as possible. Other common litter items found in our parks include plastic water bottles, utensils, straws, metal cans, and face masks—all of which can be found in the painting.

If we, as humans, find these things offensive enough to get rid of, imagine having them thoughtlessly dumped in your home. That is what the creatures living in our parks have to deal with every day.