Silver Francis: Impressionist Works for Shark Conservation

Impressionist painters like Claude Monet and Édouard Manet aimed to showcase the fleeting beauty of nature by capturing how sunlight would warmly illuminate landscapes in the early 20th century. American painter Silver Francis is adopting how impressionists capture light with paint to portray the fleeting beauty of sharks as they swim in shallow waters and bask in the sun.

The painting’s idyllic look helps her viewers see an authentic portrayal of sharks, one that’s based on scientific research. The fear-mongering depiction of sharks in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws has led to a 50 percent decline in the species' number of large sharks in North American waters. Consequently, Francis' authentic depiction of sharks enhances public awareness of endangered shark species. This portrayal challenges the widespread misconception, popularized by films like Jaws, that sharks are relentless ocean predators targeting humans. By dispelling these myths, Francis' paintings discourage the mass hunting of these misunderstood creatures, promoting a more informed and respectful approach to marine life. This makes Francis’ paintings reflect the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Life Below Water.

Photograph of Silver Francis in front of their artworks. Image courtesy of Raw Femme Magazine.

With a degree in Environmental Science and Policy, Francis is the perfect artist to take on a collaboration with Saving The Blue, an American non-profit organization which dedicates itself to recovering threatened marine species by connecting people with ocean wildlife. This collaboration allows her to create a painting of a Caribbean Reef Shark from photographs taken by Annie Gutteridge, researcher, marine photographer and Saving The Blue’s President and Director.

Silver Francis holds a print of her shark painting, Caribbean Reef Shark, as she sits cross-legged in front of the original Caribbean Reef Shark painting. Image courtesy of @silverfrancisart/Instagram.

After creating a large original painting (91.44 cm x 121.92 cm), Francis created limited prints of the piece to make her artwork more accessible. Ten percent of the sales from the collaboration goes directly to Saving The Blue to benefit their research of the movement ecology of the depicted Caribbean Reef Sharks. This research aims to map particular reef sections where the species aggregate, their mating habits and what they use particular reefs for. Knowing the answer to these research questions will help conservationists to better preserve the species, which has shown a 50 to 79 percent reduction in the last 29 years.

Close-up of Silver Francis’ Caribbean Reef Shark print. Image courtesy of @silverfrancisart/Instagram.

Staying true to her roots as a contemporary impressionist, Francis begins her piece by first colour mapping her canvas. Choosing which colour blocks go where with utmost care, making sure to take extra care to depict how sunlight is illuminating the waters the shark is swimming in. She then makes quick yet carefully planned brushstrokes to mimic ocean waves and their movement. The end result creates an impressionistic painting where viewers can easily imagine the Caribbean Reef Shark slowly swimming in shallow waters. Beams of light penetrate the water’s surface and warm the shark’s body, a serene and calming scene representative of authentic shark behaviour.

Detail of Caribbean Reef Shark by Silver Francis. Image courtesy of @silverfrancisart/Instagram.

This genuine portrayal of sharks fosters a more favourable perception of the species in the viewer's mind, establishing a connection between them and these marine animals. It encourages viewers to learn more about sharks and discover impactful ways they can contribute to the preservation and longevity of these vital ocean inhabitants.