This newest series of work is a call to humanity to protect our planet and its wildlife. Plants and animals are becoming extinct at an unprecedented rate, the oceans are full of plastics and the air we breathe is increasingly polluted. In response to this environmental crisis, Anja has created a series of encaustic paintings of animals native to Manitoba. Each painting combines an abstract landscape, an animal illustration and a graphic pattern. The graphic pattern represents one of the reasons why the featured animal’s survival is increasingly challenged, such as deforestation, global warming or loss of habitat. The ancient form of encaustic painting with melted beeswax, resin and pigment helps to elicit a sense of connection to the nature we need to protect. The gravity of the climate crisis can seem overwhelming, but we can all make a difference by placing a climate action lens over everyday choices such as what we buy, what we eat and who we vote for. Anja’s hope is to inspire others through her art to take action and protect our home. The artist and the gallery will be donating 10% of all sales from this show to the Winnipeg-based Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (PWRC). PWRC’s main goal is to treat injured and orphaned wildlife and to successfully release them back into their natural habitat.