Lauren Watts - 2021

Artist's Statement

In this project, I wanted to create something that would remind people to take care of our environment, especially in Utah. We have so many diverse landscapes and five national parks in the state. Many people, including myself, use our wildlife to rock climb, hike, camp, and more. Through these activities, we are using fossil fuels to travel across the state, using campgrounds and trails, and potentially ruining our monuments through overuse and littering.

The goal of creating this sticker was to show our beautiful state and why we should take care of it. I wanted to emphasize what potentially could be lost. I tried to show many wild lands, which were represented through the multiple, different colored layers of land. I showed the atmosphere with the use of a cloud and sun. I didn’t put any monuments specific to Utah, other than the shape of Utah, because I wanted the principle of taking care of earth to apply everywhere.

I chose to use the medium of a sticker because creating a print or painting is useful and aesthetic, but only stays in one spot. Many people put stickers on their water bottles and cars. In this context, the sticker can be a constant reminder to everyone who sees it to take care of our one planet. This can be through carpooling on hiking and climbing trips, buying from companies that use sustainable resources, limiting our consumption of meats, and so much more. I want the story of Utah’s wildlife and beautiful lands to continue, and in order to do so we must take care of our lands.