About the Artist

Janet Ormond (environmental artist)

Janet grew up in Hout Bay, South Africa. Today, she resides in the nearby small coastal town of Kommetjie, with her husband and two sons. Raised either sailing off Brazil's shores or enjoying Cape Town's stunning beaches, Janet developed a deep affinity for the sea from a young age. Her educational journey led her to study art at the College of Cape Town. Post-graduation, Janet spent a decade in boat-based tourism. Since then, she successfully operated a craft business and more recently made a mark as an environmental activist through her art.

Janet's journey as an environmental artist began in 2018, marking a new chapter in her creative exploration. She passionately utilizes plastic collected from local beaches to craft thought-provoking artworks. Her primary objective is to raise awareness about the profound and destructive impact of plastic pollution on our environment. Through her art, Janet aims to highlight the intrinsic connection between nature and the ocean, drawing inspiration from South Africa's iconic biodiversity. Her work serves as a poignant reminder of the immense beauty of South Africa and the urgent need to protect and preserve it.

The plastic she gathers is incredibly diverse, often unidentifiable, prompting questions about its origins, purpose, and the individuals it once belonged to. This variety of discarded materials fuels her creativity as she transforms them into meaningful pieces that both captivate and disturb.

As an "artivist," Janet finds inspiration in the power of artistic expression to spark reflection and stimulate change. Her ultimate goal is to encourage personal introspection and drive behavioral changes that contribute to solving the global pollution crisis, a challenge in which we are all implicated.

She embraces C.S. Lewis's wisdom: "You can't go back to the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending." Through her art, Janet strives to inspire individuals to embrace their role in reshaping our relationship with plastic and the environment, one small step at a time.