AOL Artists

As part of Take Your Child to Work Day, we turned 100 kids into AOL Artists for the day. 

In celebration of Earth Day, new AOL Artist Jacqui Oakley painted 4 canvases inspired by endangered animals and the world’s unique habitats. Each artwork has its own unique story and inspiration based on research and studies done by Jacqui. 

AMUR LEOPARD
“This illustration features the critically endangered Amur Leopard. With a population of just 30-35, threats facing the species include habitat loss due to logging, poaching, global climate change and an encroaching human population. I wanted to paint this beautiful creature glancing warily behind foliage; isolated and seemingly melding into the background, disappearing from our memory.”
Make this your canvas on AOL.com

TROPICS
“This illustration is focused on tropical flowers, birds and breezes. Maybe it’s due to the fact that I worked on these illustrations in the gloomy cold of a Canadian February, but I eagerly jumped at the chance to portray warmth, life and colour. With this piece I wanted the breezes to be wrapped around the flowers showing movement and the relationship between plants water and air through layers of translucent colour. I was inspired by the gorgeous and joyful patterns in vintage 1950s textiles.”
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OCEAN
“One particular environment that is endlessly fascinating to me is the Ocean. I grew up in a house looking out on the Persian Gulf … I find the immense scale of the Earth’s oceans and seas incredibly awe-inspiring and overwhelming. Recently, the Census of Marine Life estimated there to be over 1 million species in the ocean, with three quarters still awaiting discovery. In this image I wanted to allow pattern and movement to depict the endlessly moving currents in the ocean.”
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TREES
“For this piece I wanted to create a more engaging version of the water cycle. I wanted to show the symbiotic relationship between water and air within clouds, trees, bodies of water and the earth. With this painting, I played with contrasting patterns, movement and stylizing nature, all inspired by designs found in the Art Nouveau movement.”
Make this your canvas on AOL.com

AOL Artists around the globe, including C. Finley, Paola Ochoa (an upcoming AOL Artist), Mike Perry, Jessica Snow (an upcoming AOL Artist), Mr. Kiji, Josh Cochran (an upcoming AOL Artist) and Chrissy Angliker, are all barefoot today for TOMS One Day Without Shoes! 

One Day Without Shoes is a day to raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life by taking off our own. Millions of children around the world go without shoes every day and are at risk of disease and infection. AOL employees, in addition to thousands of others around the world, are barefoot today to help expand awareness to this important cause.