Amazon Aid Foundation welcomes visual artist Judit Prieto: Nature’s wonders drew her in, just as her art draws audiences in to raise awareness about the importance of saving what we have and changing our behaviors to do so.

How did you first become inspired by the Amazon?

The Amazon rainforest is the largest and most bio-diverse tropical rainforest in the world. I was captivated by its beauty and richness, and concerned about its deforestation caused by fires and human activity. Personally, and as an artist, I feel compelled to do something that invites action.

How does the Amazon Rainforest and environmentalism manifest in your work?

In 2020 I started working on a series called Seven Forests – Seven Continents. It is a series of drawings about the most important rainforests in every continent in the world. The first drawing was about ‘The Daintree Rainforest’ in Australia. This year, I just finished the second drawing about the Amazon rainforest and there are more to come. The purpose of the series is to create awareness about the importance of preserving these rainforests for ourselves and for future generations.

How did you get involved with the Re-Vegetation of the Forests affected by the bushfires in Australia?

I support the re-vegetation of the forests by planting trees so they can have a fighting chance of survival. 30% of all my print sales goes to support this very important cause so close to my heart. So far, I have planted 100 trees in Australia, with One Tree Planted Organisation! I wish to continue this initiative in the Amazon.

When did you become inspired by nature? As a child? What drew you to it?

As a child, I always felt at ease with nature. Nature’s wonders drew me in and I felt a strong inner care for it. I started drawing and painting nature to capture its beauty. This gave me a great feeling that evolved with time into a stronger call to protect and restore nature.

What is your technique for the stunningly beautiful Seven Forests – Seven Continents?

The Series reflects both the beauty and destruction of nature, with light, shadows and a dash of colour. I have chosen to mix graphite and watercolour on paper as my medium. The black and white pencil detail drawing represents nature´s destruction. The touch of green watercolour painting means the hope that we can stop this situation, by taking responsibility and action to protect and preserve nature.

Have you ever been to the Amazon? If not, why are you inspired by it?

Not yet, it’s on my bucket list! I would like to go to experience the wilderness and get to know the indigenous tribes. The Amazon is one of the most important rainforests in the world and the lungs of the Earth.

As artists, what can we do to help protect the Amazon?

I believe that we can use the power of Art to serve a higher purpose such as creating awareness about the main issues caused by human activity. Supporting initiatives like planting trees and protecting acres of land in the Amazon are ways to restore and repair the damage. At home we could help by being a conscious consumer and choose alternative options to reduce waste and our carbon footprint.