We are One by Kristen Lopez. Oil on wood. "We Are One is a painting I created upon learning about the Art for Apes. The woman depicted in the painting is holding the infant ape in a maternal manner. She shows her desire to nurture and protect, much like our society that has undergone an environmental awakening. However, beyond wanting to be environmentally responsible, it is crucial for our survival that we take care of nature. The crochet dress worn by the mother figure symbolizes the thread that binds us together. We can no longer look at the natural world as an entity separate from humanity. Rather we must embrace apes and all creatures as one of us.

I work under the name Ava Carmen (Lopez), which is derived from family names. I chose a name that reflected my Cuban heritage and embodied the late 1950s in Miami, an important period for my family. My style is also heavily influenced by pop culture, literature, and aesthetics from the 55-65 decade."

Take a look at more of her work at avacarmen.com