Inspired by natural forms, Stéphanie Kilgast’s artwork is an ode to nature and its current biodiversity. Plants, mushrooms, insects and other animals encounter in a vibrant swirl of colors under her brush or sculpting tools.

Since 2017, in her series “Discarded Objects”, she grows colorful organic sculptures on manufactured objects, celebrating the beauty of nature in a dialogue with humanity, questioning the lost balance between human activities and nature.

Her work has a cheerful post apocalyptic feel to it, a reassuring reminder that nature has the capacity to grow back, if we only let it.

Her work has been exhibited in North America, Asia, Australia and Europe.

French, born in 1985, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, currently resides in Vannes, France.

Meet co-founder, Emma Lopes, an artist, illustrator and educator, she studied fine art in London and Madrid. Spending time in wild places is her favourite pastime and mother nature is her muse, in particular the ocean. A core belief which filters into every aspect of her work is that all life is interconnected. Her art is a form of activism through celebration of a world we must fight to protect, and principally communicating the importance of a healthy ocean for all life on earth. Emma now lives on the coast of Portugal where she makes large scale paintings and illustrations for social and environmental organisations.

Clients include: The Explorer's Club, New York Wild, Jiggy Puzzles & Penguin Random House

María Lecanda is a Mexican photographer and creator that like many, discovered her love for the ocean through scuba diving. In awe of this fantastic underwater world, she was inspired to create @BLACKSCATTER - a collection of stippled ink illustrations, aiming to spread awareness and bring nature into our daily lives.

London based Salvadoran artist and illustrator Gabriela Larios received her Masters from Camberwell College of Arts, UK in 2007 thanks to an Alban Scholarship. She creates whimsical and colourful illustrations that celebrate her deep love of children’s books, textiles and folk art. Her creative world derives from her interest in storytelling and the natural world. There is a naive and playful spirit captured in her work and a strong connection between memories of her childhood in El Salvador and her body of work: tortoises, fishes, plants, birds and all the colourful creatures and elements found in her art. She illustrated the sacred book of the Maya culture The Popol Vuh A Retelling with Restless Books featured on NBC and her debut picture book Our Nipa Hut with Barefoot Books featured on the Guardian.

Hi, I’m Madison Mueller. I am a marine scientist and a marine watercolour artist. I love being able to combine these two vastly different backgrounds to help conserve and protect our beautiful oceans.

I have worked as a marine scientist in many different locations across Australia.

From working with Pearl oysters in the remote North-West of Australia, growing algae in Tropical North Queensland, surveying crown of thorn starfish populations on The Great Barrier Reef, to working in a marine laboratory for the Western Australian Museum. This has provided me with practical experiences of tackling some of the issues impacting the health of our oceans.

However, I believe that the only way to really make an impact and save our oceans is through bringing awareness to and educating EVERYONE on the importance of protecting our marine life and I hope to inspire others to love and appreciate the ocean just as much as me.

This is were my art comes into it!

When Pigs Swim- It all started with an escape from anxiety. Being fond of swimming and a plant-focused lifestyle, I combined the two to create When Pigs Swim, and the idea that they never fail to put a smile on my face. The thought of doodling random life observations to communicate my feelings and aiming to put smiles on people’s faces was what grew into When Pigs Swim Design.

I found my love for sea creatures through scuba diving which led to environmental curiosities such as plastic pollution and coral bleaching. My goal is to work with children and incorporate marine conservation into a holistic approach but in the meantime, sales are donated towards coral restoration as a member of We The Reef, a partnership under Coral Gardeners, based in French Polynesia.

Johanna Excell is a Finnish biologist-turned-wildlife artist and ocean lover, currently based in Germany. She uses a variety of mediums and techniques —oil, acrylics, watercolor, dotwork, and air dry clay to create captivating paintings and sculptures that celebrate the beauty of wildlife. Johanna’s work aims to bring happiness to viewers while fostering a deeper connection to nature. Through vibrant depictions of animals, she also seeks to gently raise awareness for endangered species and environmental issues, reminding us of the fragile state of our world.

Anjana Mistry is a British illustrator and artist based in Barcelona, Spain. Her work is inspired by the beauty and diversity of nature, using vibrant colours and intricate details to evoke emotions and tell stories. Blending traditional painting techniques with digital tools, Anjana’s illustrations capture the delicate balance of the natural world, celebrating the flora, fauna, and landscapes that inspire her. Through her art, she aims to bring warmth, joy, and a sense of wonder to everyday moments, inviting others to connect with the beauty of the world around them.

Zareena Ayoub, known as heyzoish, is an illustrator recognized for her vibrant, whimsical artwork. Combining bold lines with vivid colors, her style creates dynamic, emotionally rich visual storytelling. Her illustrations blend playfulness and depth, establishing her as a notable presence in contemporary illustration.

Ladislas is a French artist based between Barcelona Spain and Marseille France. His work encompasses painting (both traditional and digital), sculpture, and murals, reflecting his passion for art and his commitment to ecology. His practice seeks to merge these two worlds by using his creativity to « emotionally reconnect the audience with nature ». Through his art, he develops a « visual imaginary » inspired by the diversity and richness of the natural world, which he calls « Ecosurrealism ».

Surrealism allows him to explore new narratives and future visions, often offering a symbolic critique of our times. His goal is to question the relationship between humans and nature and address the environmental challenges faced by modern societies. The preservation of oceans and their biodiversity is a recurring theme in his work. Ladislas regularly collaborates with organizations, brands, and projects that promote this cause, reinforcing his artistic involvement in ocean conservation.

Since 2020, he has collaborated with various entities and NGOs like PangeaSeed Foundation, a Hawaii-based NGO, and in 2022 released an art book titled SeaChange: a Decade of Artivism for the Ocean. In 2024, he participated in two Art & Science projects as part of the program for the World Ocean Congress 2024 as well as the United Nations Ocean Congress in Nice 2025. 

Marie Hermansson is an internationally published American children’s picture book illustrator and artist who lives on the west coast of Sweden. She is the illustrator of over seven children’s picture books. Her illustration work consists mainly of children’s non-fiction and fiction nature books that bring the natural world in all its marvelous and varied forms to children around the world. Through her illustrations she hopes to spark a lifelong intellectual curiosity, empathy and connection to the environment inviting everyone to appreciate its splendor and protect its future.

Marie is the illustrator of the beloved non-fiction ocean animal books written by Karen Jameson, The Secrets of the Jellies and The Secrets of the Squid. She also is the illustrator of Listen to the Language of the Trees winner of the 2023 Blueberry Award, an annual literary award honoring children’s books that inspire a love of nature and environmental stewardship.

Kelsey Schroeder- I'm a ceramic artist living in the Black Hills of South Dakota and I'm continually inspired by the natural world. I aim to celebrate biodiversity in my work by featuring a wide variety of animals and habitats. I hope that each piece is a celebration of what makes each animal unique and will ultimately spark a love and desire to protect them. I am committed to using my work to support conservation efforts and to join with other artists who share that same passion. I believe that art can make a difference for our planet and I'm trying to use my own work to do just that.

Manoela Grigorova is a London-based mixed media and embroidery artist working under the name Mojo & Muse. Born in Varna, Bulgaria, on the Black Sea coast, her lifelong connection to the ocean deepened through travels across Southeast Asia, where snorkeling amongst vibrant coral reefs and marine life sparked a lasting fascination with corals, plankton, and underwater ecosystems.

With a background in Art and Fashion Design, Manoela’s practice explores colour, texture, and the contrasts between fluidity and slow, meditative stitch. Inspired by nature, her work combines alcohol ink, embroidery, beadwork, and salvaged materials to create tactile, abstract pieces influenced by florals, corals, funghi, microscopic life and other organic forms.

Coral reefs and plankton are recurring themes within her work, inspiring layered compositions that reflect both the beauty and fragility of ocean ecosystems. Through intuitive, material-led processes, Manoela creates immersive worlds that invite curiosity, connection, and greater awareness of marine conservation and the natural world.

Jessica Eggers is a South African pen-and-ink artist currently based in the Netherlands. While studying Marine Biology and Fisheries Management in Australia and South Africa, she developed a profound appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the ocean and its inhabitants. Combining the insights gained through her scientific training with a lifelong passion for drawing, she has built a portfolio of scientific illustrations and artworks, primarily created through intricate black-pen stippling.

Inspired by Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s belief that protecting the ocean begins with cultivating public knowledge and affection for it, Eggers uses art as a means of sparking curiosity about fish, invertebrates, and marine ecology more broadly. Through books, exhibitions, and her social media presence, she invites audiences into a closer relationship with the natural world beneath the surface.

Her intrinsic knowledge of the biology and ecology of the marine world and the precision and diligence inherent to the scientific discipline are apparent in the fine detail of her art, creating a mesmerizing coalescence of what it is to observe and to imagine.

Karla Sanders- My name is Karla, I’m an artivist passionate about species rights and socio-ecological justice. After studying fine art and cartography, my journey led me into coal mine reclamation in Ohio through a Master of Science in Environmental Studies degree focused on watershed restoration. I’ve worked for over a decade as an illustrator and graphic designer in both corporate and NGO roles.

Wonder and curiosity are at the core of my life philosophy, and since 2021 I’ve bikepacked through 14 countries while exploring the question, how can humans actually live in harmony with our world? Magical storytelling, animism and collective liberation inspire my art and poetry. 

With a German-American background, I grew up in both countries and feel most at home in wild places. I’m currently working to establish a veganic permaculture sanctuary while writing and illustrating the first book of an eco-activism romantasy series.

Yeti Iglesias

Yeti Iglesias is a freelance illustrator and 2D animator from Mexico City. My name is Yetsire, which means, (according to my mom) “lo nuestro” (ours) in Spanish, so a cute short way of saying my name is, yup, Yeti!

My style is vibrant, unique, bold, and full of colors! Plants, organic forms, shades, gradients, and texture always help me to tell a good story, your story.

Of course, I like my style, but I can also adapt it to a different one. I love challenges.

Collaborating with brands and creating powerful messages through illustration is something that I thoroughly enjoy.

Some of my clients are Apple, GoDaddy, Amazon, American Greetings, Vans, Spotify, Vectornator, editorial & more.

Meet our co-founder, Shelley Hanmo, a concert-pianist-turned illustrator specialized in hand-cut paper art for children’s books, editorial projects, and more. Shelley launched her art studio Junonia Arts in 2020 to share the magic of paper art with the world while spreading the important message of paper upcycling and re-using. "I’m passionate about whimsical stories, diverse characters, and everything colorful."

Janavi Kramer is an internationally acclaimed Artist and Scientific Illustrator with an enduring fascination for the ocean. Her work paints a window into the world below, capturing the unparalleled wonders of the ocean, in hopes of inspiring curiosity and connection in those who look through it.

Beyond the surface, however, lies a deeper purpose: to shed light on the imminent threats imposed on the marine environment and its inhabitants. Through her paintings she tells the stories of these creatures and the challenges they face, helping others to recognise the vital role the ocean plays in our ecosystem. At the forefront of Janavi’s work is a mission to use art to help protect the one thing we cannot live without - the ocean..

Janina Rossiter (Nina Rossiter) is an Artist, Author, and Artivist focussing on environmental issues. As an award-winning artist and bestselling, multi-award-winning author, Nina bridges her passions through her work in painting and illustrating children’s books.

Nina is also passionate about fighting climate change, protecting nature, and keeping the oceans free from plastic and pollutants. Her concerns for our environment are what inspired her to write “Diamonds, Hearts & Sea Stars!” and “123 Who’s Cleaning the Sea?”.

Rachel Brooks is an internationally acclaimed Wildlife Artist and Scientific Illustrator based in the Scottish Highland town of Oban. She specialises in marine wildlife, capturing high levels of intricate detail using ink. Drawing from her extensive background in Zoology, Marine Biology, and the Scuba Industry, she has immersed herself in the field, spending years amidst her fascinating subjects.

Living in world renowned marine environments such as the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef, the Lembeh Straits and the Coral Triangle. Rachel has gathered inspiration from across the globe which is reflected in the diversity of wildlife found within her work. Rachel now resides in the Scottish Highlands and has spent the past three years working in the Sea of the Hebrides Marine Protected Area with basking sharks. She is an advocate for celebrating the often over looked marine life found in the UK, and for shark conservation. As a story teller, art is her main media, but she is also a photographer, podcast host, speaker and science communicator.

Xavi Reñé is a Barcelona-based illustrator with over ten years of experience. He illustrates in the field of wildlife conservation art, having worked for various commissioners from sanctuaries to foundations and organizations, like UN World Wildlife Day 2023, or Discovery Paris Shark Week. On the European campaign StopFinningEu, Planetiers World Gathering, Nakawe Project 'Stop the kill' campaign, between others.

Currently working with Rewilding teamsand Madagascar Whale Sharks, but also in a comics and picture books field.

It's say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but in these cases that's not true. The image gives way to those all-important words about a problem or a situation that people should know about. Illustration, like photography, are great tools to capture people's attention and achieve that important interest in the message you want to show.

Thanks to this tandem, the message can reach further, get people involved and make them want to be part of this huge struggle for wildlife and Earth future.

Sterre Verbokkem is a wildlife illustrator with a long-standing love for the ocean and all things wild. She’s been working as a full-time illustrator since 2010, creating artwork for conservation organizations, publishers like Hodder & Stoughton and DK, the National Wildlife Federation, and wildlife rescue centers around the world.

Based in a quiet part of Spain, her inspiration comes just as much from the open sea as from the land, from watching seabirds fly over the coast to observing marine animals she’s encountered on boat trips and travels. Her work often explores the connections between species and ecosystems, blending scientific accuracy with a sense of wonder.

For ‘For Planet Ocean’, Sterre brings her love for nature education and visual storytelling to  highlight the beauty of ocean life, and how important it is to protect it. 

Tiffany Ratongaranto, known as zatiff online, is an illustrator from Madagascar. She lived several years in France before moving to Canada to pursue a career in graphic design while beginning to establish herself as an illustrator. Her homeland is renowned for its rich fauna and flora, with species found nowhere else on Earth. So growing up on a tropical island, which is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Mozambique Channel, has shaped the way Tiff approaches art with colorful, eye-catching and vibrant pieces.

Naturally curious about her surroundings, she has developed her skills through a deep passion for illustration and storytelling. The ocean is not only a source of inspiration but it’s also a part of her culture: “As an island girl, it has so much to tell about us, about our history and about life in general so using my art to communicate and to raise awareness about the wonders and values of the ocean is a way to preserve that legacy.”

Irina Pavlova aka Iruksson is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Paris.

"My work reflects my love for animals, travels, unexpected everyday scenes and out of the ordinary things. I have a penchant for vivid and striking color palettes, eccentric narratives and irregular shapes."

I'm Melanie Roberge from Palm Coast, Florida. My work is inspired by the beauty and wonder of underwater marine life and the Florida Springs. I'm blending my artistic skills with my love for marine life and all things aquatic, bringing about the perfect marriage of my two passions.