Wading in murky waters, gorging on trash and shamelessly living in filth. Owen Freeman makes a daring statement about human’s relationship with the world’s most abundant natural resource in his illustrative pieces, “Ocean on the Edge” and “Surge.”

Freeman’s dramatic personal style, with its etched lines and rough blends,  is reminiscent of mid-20th century posters and book illustrations. He pulls inspiration from classic illustrators like J.C. Leyendecker, Bernie Fuchs and Robert McGinnis.

“For me,” explains Freeman, “I think not seeing exactly where an assignment will take you is one of the most exciting things about illustration.”

He created these pieces for an ocean literacy project and he later submitted to the Long Beach Aquarium for a national ocean awareness event.

“Surge” was exhibited at the Long Beach Aquarium, then at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History for awhile. He wasn’t as successful at getting “Ocean on the Edge” exhibited, but belies it still encapsulates a powerful message. “I was trying to compress the idea of sustenance against the reality of how toxic our oceans really are,” he says.

Large garbage heaps have been swirling around ocean for decades and have been effecting the aquatic life that we consume. Join the cleanup of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and sign a petition at Care2.com.

Owen Freeman - Surge - An illustrative piece that depicts the relationship between our oceans and the weather. By degrading the quality of our water sources we’re causing detrimental effects that are experienced from above and below.

Owen Freeman - Ocean on the Edge - Pitting the idea of sustenance against the reality of how toxic our oceans really are