Meet the Artist
My name is Emma Bullock and I became interested in the environment as a child, growing up in Vermont. Nature is a large part of Vermont culture, with environmental protection enshrined in the state song. However, despite this sentiment, my hometown was still impacted by PFOA pollution from a nearby factory and many community members were forced to live on bottled water. Even in a place where nature is considered important, pollution persists.
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In Vermont, as in many rural parts of the US, there is a certain sense of hopelessness. Things have stagnated for so long that people feel that there is nothing they can do to help. The issue of climate change has amplified this feeling. How can a single person in a small town possibly help against a global catastrophe? The truth is that a single person can’t do much. But many people, across the country, across the world, working towards the same goal, can do a lot. I wanted to show people that they aren’t as alone in this fight as they believe.
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Photo Credit: Daniel J Hentz @ WHOI
I am currently a PhD candidate in the MIT-WHOI Joint Program, getting a degree in marine chemistry and geochemistry. My research focuses on mercury inputs from groundwater into the Arctic Ocean. Going up to Alaska and taking samples on an oil field impacted me in ways I could not have anticipated. To look out at this incredible landscape, to see caribou and muskoxen and polar bears, all marred with a backdrop of oil rigs and flares. It was heartbreaking. While I hope that my research can help polar communities brace for the impact of climate change, I hope that my artwork and the interviews of these activists can help inspire people to take a stand against global warming before the worst comes to pass.
Support the Artist
In order to make my artwork, I spend about 100 hours per portrait and I do not charge the activists for their portraits at the end of the process. Please consider supporting these projects by buying some stickers or a t-shirt. If you really loved the portraits, either the ones highlighted on this site or in my past projects gallery, you can order canvas prints or postcards of your favorite pieces. Visit my Etsy store to purchase.
Postcards + Canvas Prints
