Sharks of the World
Zoe Keller
Regular Edition
18 x 24 Inches
Fine-art Giclée print on Canson Aquarelle 310gsm museum-grade archival paper
Limited Edition of 100
Signed + Numbered
Printed with ♥ by Static Medium
Hand-Embellished Edition
24 x 32 inches
Fine-art Giclée print on Canson Aquarelle 310gsm museum-grade archival paper
Limited Edition of 35
Signed + Numbered
Hand-embellished
Printed with ♥ by Static Medium
Artist Statement
There are over 500 species of sharks found around the globe. Sharks swim through remote open waters, craggy coral reefs, below frigid North Atlantic ice, and in the darkest ocean depths; marine ecosystems of all kinds are shaped - and protected - by sharks. Often maligned, these ancient vertebrates are vital to ocean health. Both skilled hunters and filter feeders keep prey populations under control, and scavengers help clean ocean waters. According to the IUCN, at least one-third of all shark species are at risk of extinction.
Many shark species are so poorly understood that they could be lost before being classified as endangered. Overfishing is the primary threat to sharks; a 2013 Marine Policy study found that between 63 to 273 million sharks are killed annually. The horrific practice of shark finning claims many of these beautiful creatures. Some sharks are caught as bycatch in nets meant for fish like swordfish and tuna. Others are lost to pollution and the degradation of ocean ecosystems. Sharks reproduce slowly, making it difficult for their populations to recover after irresponsible human practices have decimated them.
The sharks depicted in ’Sharks of the World’ represent 23 taxonomic families of sharks, illustrating the beautiful biodiversity of these incredible animals. Their loss would not only further imperil the health of the world’s oceans but also deprive future generations of the wonder they inspire.
- Zoe Keller
Artist Bio
A Woodstock, New York native, Zoe Keller's creative upbringing in the rural Catskills shaped her future as an artist and amateur naturalist. After graduating from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Keller made homes and studios in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, on the rocky Maine coast, in West Michigan's farm country, Eastern Oregon's Wallowa Mountains, and in Portland, Oregon, where she currently resides. Keller uses graphite and Procreate to create large-scale, meticulously rendered visual narratives. Placing a special focus on at-risk species and wildlands, Keller weaves drawings that explore the interconnectedness of fragile, vanishing ecosystems. By highlighting the biodiversity at risk in the Anthropocene, her work aims to inspire reverence for the natural world and action to defend what we have left.
