This digital drawing of an oyster and its singular pearl was created with an iPad and the Procreate app. I usually take a more traditional approach to artwork, but decided to get out of my comfort zone with a digital tool. Ocean acidification and global warming have contributed to weaker oyster shells and diminished pearl quality. Rising levels of CO2 that gets absorbed into the ocean also reduces the chances of survival for a variety of marine life including shellfish. In response, I have portrayed the oyster with a strong and sturdy shell along with a bright, gleaming pearl tucked inside. It symbolises hope for a more bright and sustainable future for all creatures and ecosystems.

Arabella Grace Chong is a 14 year old Y9 student and Art Scholar at Harrow International School Hong Kong. She is from Carmel, California. She enjoys studying various art techniques and styles from traditional sketching and watercolor, to clay modelling and digital design. She is fluent in both Mandarin and English, and -- outside art -- enjoys reading,