Stunning Portraits Raise Awareness of Endangered Species

By
Jas Cilas
-

Despite the fact that Earth is rapidly losing its natural beauty and that there are more endangered species in the world with each passing day, people aren’t doing much to make things better. This is why Swedish artist Andreas Häggkvist decided to change this the best way he knows how.

Häggkvist is creating stunning portraits which he hopes will help raise awareness about endangered animal special and environmental issues Earth faces. Each of these artworks is also accompanied by a fitting message that adds more weight to the message he is trying to send.

“Just as with melodies, visual images stick with us more than just words.” – Häggkvist says about his project. “Using the power that art contains, there really is an opportunity for an artist to make a movement for an important cause.”

Check out some of Häggkvist’s amazing works below.

View this post on Instagram

”I feel love” . What is your favourite wild animal? . So, as you can see and probably just figured out by this post, I really like the giraffe. I´ve always related to animals that look a little odd 😉, and defies what the phrase ”normal” often stands for (even though I really don’t like that word). I have always admired giraffes for their long necks and knobby knees, but I became truly obsessed with them about a year ago when read up on the giraffe and got to know the animal a little better. It almost felt like i´ve found my spirit animal. No other animal could so perfectly match my height, clumsiness and overall goofiness as the giraffe;) . As some of you already have noticed, giraffes are quite tall. They're not just tall; they're the tallest animals on the entire planet. Their height is rivaled by none. Literally. But did you know that every giraffe's pattern is unique. Just like every human is different, every giraffe is different. Each one has a pattern that no giraffe has ever had, has or will have. . Another awesome fact, female giraffes give birth standing up. The result? Newborns are welcomed to the world with a 1.5m drop to the ground! Ouch! But these infants are quick to get on their feet – within 30 minutes they are standing, and only hours later they’re able to run with their mothers. How cool is that? . And if all these facts wasn´t enough to convince you of the giraffes awesomeness, let me tell you; they have figured out to use their own butt as a pillow when they sleep! . So yeah… I mean. What’s not to love? Sadly the giraffe is on the list over critically endangered animals, after years of habitat destruction and poaching. So next time you sit next to a giraffe on the bus, be sure to show him some extra love. They truly deserve it! . . . #wildlife #giraffe #savetheanimals #wwf #criticallyendangered  #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #animalrights #ps_opposites #creative_ace #gramslayers #heatercentral #visualmobs #milliondollarvisuals #illgrammers #worldofartist #artofinstagram #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”The Guardian” . Hey guys, its 2019! What are your SPECIFIC goals for this year? . New year – fresh start, right?, A do-over, that motivates you to try something new. That is usually how it goes. When we talk about the new year, one word often comes to mind: resolutions! Lose weight, get out more, save money, engage in a hobby, spend more time with friends, pick up that camera… But, what actually happens after you’ve made that resolution? Do you carry it out? . Let me tell you about something that have worked for me for the last couple of years. Instead of making resolutions, set measurable goals. I find it´s more likely to lead to success in seeing your hopes and dreams come true. . So this year, why not try to be specific! Too often, people tend to set goals that are vague and unrealistic. ”Read more books”, or ”see more plays” Not only does this lead to frustration, but it also decreases the likelihood of actually achieving the goal. . And hey, just a friendly reminder; stop comprising yourself to others! When you are working towards improving your life, it is common to compare yourself to other people. Instagram doesn’t help here; your feed overflows with announcements of your friends’ new love interests, achievements and new jobs. How does this serve you, exactly? It doesn’t;) Follow your own path. . Lastly, remember; big success is made up of small victories. Enjoy the process! Having goals is important; however, we don’t stop living while we pursue them. Life happens while you are in the midst of seeing your dreams being realized! . . . #newyearresolutions #guardianangel #lioncub #digitalart #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #digitalartist #animalartist #photoshopart #digitalartwork #digitaldesign #dailyart #instagramart #worldofartist #instagramartist #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artistsofinstagram #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”Lovebirds” . "So, its Christmas time again and, to borrow the words of John Paul Young’s song, “Love is in the air”. As it is every Christmas. It is featured in the songs we hear on the radio, in the stores as we shop for presents and in the commercials we see on TV. Love is present in the cards we send and in the words we write on the tags we attach to the presents we give. . As a child, I delighted in every aspect of the holiday season—the music, the decorations, the snowy weather and of course… the gift giving.  It was all magical. . But as you get older, it becomes more and more focused on other things. Everything that has to be done, fixed and more importantly; bought. At what age did we actually make the switch from traditional Christmas values of family time, celebrating love, valuing the simple joys and sharing. Does it really take a bunch of videogames, clothing, gadgets, and toys to make this season enjoyable? . Are we missing the point of Christmas as adults? Are we forgetting the magic? Can we do the holidays without the crazed explosion of gifts? This is what we asked ourself in our family this christmas. And we really did a effort to narrow down the christmas list. We each bought ONE present. And let me tell you, nothing changed. Quite the opposite, actually. It was a blessing shifting the fokus from the presents, to just… enjoying. . So, it makes me wonder. What the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, dinner with family and friends or the snow in the yard. . The real point here is not to criticize the act and idea of how you spending your christmas, but to think about what christmas is to you. And your family. Maybe its not buying more presents than last year. Maybe Christmas is a symbol of love, not money. . . . #lovebirds #birdsofparadise #christmastime #whatischristmas #composition  #stockholmsyndrome #digitalart #animallovers #helpanimals #digitalartist #animalartist #photoshopart #digitalartwork #digitaldesign #dailyart #instagramart #worldofartist #instagramartist #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artistsofinstagram

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”Leap of faith" . I’ve been on a bit of a self-help kick in my writing lately. And given the positive response from my last post, I figured I would continue my journey and write about another topic that might be of interest. The leap of faith. . We all want the perfect life right, but getting the life you want often means making some big changes in some part of your existing life, whether its career, relationships, city etc. Change is always a fun idea in theory, but, in practice, it’s not always so easy as it sounds. Because you can never really know for sure if your efforts actually will change your life in the direction you want to go. . So there is always going to be that fear of the unknown. Thats means if you really want to change your life, you must take a leap of faith. As a great philosopher once said, ”Do or do not. There is no try.” . There is actually no other way in reaching your goals, so you’ll have to believe that good things will happen when you choose to change your life. Luckly; a leap of faith is not totally blind faith. You do have a lifetime of knowledge and skills that will help you in your pursuit of the dream;) . So, is there any part of your life you would like to change? . . . #wildlife #frogs #leapoffaith #daretodream #dreamon #fox #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #creative #arty #artsy #hubs_united #portrait_shots #dailyart #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

Yin yang. . It may not be obvious by a quick look, but this piece is actually inspired by Yin and Yang. Look close, and you can see a little of black in the white, and vice versa. I find this to be a pretty interesting concept. Two halves that together complete wholeness. Opposite forces that actually are complementary, and how they give rise to each other. It’s a beautiful thought, and I kind of think it relates in everything around us. . Nothing in the universe or in life is simply black or white. Each exists in the other and each needs the other in order to exist. . Lately I've been giving some thought to extremes and how often we look at situations from extreme points of view. It's so easy to label something as "good" or "bad" so we do just that rather than really giving it thought and figuring out what it really is. But, as Van Morrison said, "There is no black and white situation. It's all part of life. Highs, lows, middles.” . I think when we attempt to classify things in very general categories, we limit ourselves and the world around us. It can be very tempting to look at a situation or even another person with an all-or-nothing outlook, but it's usually not going to bring out the true nature of that situation or person. Most things are much more complex than a single adjective or label. We miss out on seeing the true complexities of the world around us. So, my advice. Let go of your expectations and look for the grey areas! . Do you find yourself looking at the world in black and white? . . . #yinyang #balance #blackandwhite #whitetiger #blackjaguar #moodygrams #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #creative #ps_magic #hubs_united #portrait_shots #portraits_mf #dailyart #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”I got your back” . Hey guys, what’s up? I made this piece thinking of all those who are there for you, the people willing and prepared to unconditionally defend and support someone. That supportive shoulder you trustworthy can rest your head upon. . Because for me, today, it´s ALL of you guys. I´d like to thank every single one of you for the amazing respons that you shown me, the support and kindness has been almost overwelming. It honestly blows my mind that my giveaway reached so many people, and you are all so positive and loving it really is such a beautiful thing. You are all amazing! Thank you. . So, tell me, do you have that certain someone in your life? A little bird on your shoulder singing support in your ear? . . . #wildlife #artist #animalrights #moodygrams #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #creative #arty #artsy #ps_magic #hubs_united #portrait_shots #portraits_mf #dailyart #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”Dots of love” . Hey guys what’s up? I made this in celebration of jaguars on the first-ever International Jaguar Day (Although I didn’t finish it in time🙃). . Jaguars, with their majestic spotted coats and their silent, silky movements, are the iconic big cat of the wild. They are superstrong, a jaguar’s ultra-strong jaws and teeth can bite through a crocodile skull or turtle shell, but nevertheless, their future is in OUR hands. . The jaguar is under serious pressure. Jaguars now occupy less than half of their historical range. They’re so elusive that we don’t know exactly how many are left in the wild – but we do know their numbers are dropping. . Jaguars are important because they play a big role in controlling the populations of other species, so by protecting jaguars and the places where they live, we’re also helping to look after other wildlife. A win-win;) . Lets help ensure they have a fighting chance for a bright future, okay? . . . #jaguar #internationaljaguarday #savethejaguar #wildlifeplanet #enter_imagination #igcreative_edits #savetheanimals #wwf #discoveredits #wildlife #visual_creatorz #weekly_feature #edit_grams #artofvisuals #launchdsigns #xceptionaledits #creartmood #creative_ace #theuniversalart #thecreativers #moodygrams #digitalart #milliondollarvisuals #animalrights #photomanipulation #createexplore #artistsoninstagram #photoshop

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

For all you who watched my last story, you already know I was recently approached by WWF due to my art, and my love for animals. They asked me to represent them as a #worldhero in their quest to help save the elephants. Of course I said yes. Its a true honor, and nothing less than a dream come true. . The truth is that in just seven years, 30% of the elephant species has been wiped out. Unless things change, the population will be halved in less than a decade. If we don’t put our foot down, our children wont be able to watch these magnificent creature alive in nature. Its saddens me to my very core. . The least I could do to do something was to try and raise some money. Nothing that would prevent exctinction by itself, but a first little step in the right direction. . And you know what? Because of your generosity and support, I surpassed my goal with the organisation on my first day!! I am SO grateful for your support, and are proud to have worked with WWF in an action for saving the elephants. . Thank you, Community! Its amazing what wonders we can achieve, when we work together! . . . #savetheelephants #animalrights #elephants #instaanimals #instawildlife #instafight #wildlife #saveanimals #animallovers #helpanimals #savetheplanet #portraitpage #arty #artsy  #portrait_shots #portraits_mf #portrait #ps_magic #dailyart #portraits #ps_magic #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #enter_imagination #launchdsigns

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

"Hold your horses” . Social media. It has become so integrated into the fabric of our lives that when you meet somebody who has sworn it off entirely, it’s actually a cause for conversation. . It’s has changes the way we view and interact with society, our friends, do our networking and for some; even work. But it can also be an abundant source of stress. I would guess a few of you know exactly what I´m talking about;) . The great thing about our body is that its designed to respond well to short bursts of stress. But when stress is prolonged and triggered repeatedly it could mean trouble. My trick for couping with this; unless I feel energized, motivated, excited, creative and fully engaged, I´ll press pause. BEFORE the stress feels overwhelming. . It's kinda obvious, I know, but it’s harder than it sounds! A year ago I couldn’t go more than a couple of hours without checking whats happening (FOMO), but today I can actually let Instagram chill for a day or two. Yay me (self-five). . Its important to keep stress levels in check my friends, so be sure to take good care of yourself. Listed to your bodies! And learn how to relax. . . . #ps_daydream #portraitpage #arty #artsy #hubs_united #portrait_shots #portraits_mf #portrait #ps_magic #ig_creative_edits #discoveredits #thecreativers #theuniversalart #createexplore #visualmobz #dailyart #portraits #art #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”The Lion King” . A fantastic movie. And one of the biggest lessons to be learned from it is that you can either run from your past or you can learn from it. Remember, in one scene, Rafiki tells Simba, “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” . The most important things we will ever learn will be from the bad decisions we make. Good judgment will only develop if you truly learn from your mistakes. Unfortunately, for many people, it takes a few repeats of the same mistake to learn the lesson;) . Simba was running away from a past he was ashamed of. It took him awhile to learn that he couldn’t run forever. He needed to confront his past and learn something from it. Growth starts as soon as you recognize your mistake and how to prevent it from happening again. Everyone makes mistakes in life, this is normal, but how you learn from them is how you develop your judgment. I wholeheartedly believe that great judgment comes from experimentation with life. So go ahead. Go out. And go crazy. And learn! . “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein . . . #enter_imagination #igcreative_edits #visualambassadors #magicofchildhood #oureverydaymoments #discoveredits #creativegrammer #visual_creatorz #weekly_feature #edit_grams #artofvisuals #launchdsigns #xceptionaledits #creartmood #creative_ace #theuniversalart #thecreativers #visualmobs #moodygrams #digitalart #milliondollarvisuals #igdads #toddlersofinstagram #photoshopperid #photomanipulation #capturingchildhood #ourmoodydays #createexplore #artistsoninstagram #photoshop

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”Rhinocorn" . The magical rhinoceros. A fictional creature that has been described since ancient times as a majestic beast with a large, pointed horn projecting from its forehead. These brilliant animals are common in many old fairytales and folklore, as they are big, beautiful, and absolutely badass. . So, see something wrong with that intro? Yeah, it´s about unicorns, I just changed the name. But this is were we soon are at. The rhinos only being a character of magical children books and stunning tales you tell your kids about before they go to sleep. . There was a time when rhinos roamed around Earth. They have been around for 40 million years – far longer than human beings. These days may soon be gone. There were one million rhinos at the turn of the 19th century, a number that has declined dramatically. Today there´s only 29,000 left. These critically endangered animals fight for the survival and against extinction. And the enemy… well, you guessed it. Us humans. . Rhinos have horns which make them lucrative targets for the illegal trade in rhino horn. And you know what the most wicked thing is? People are buying rhino horn nowadays for emotional benefit rather than medicinal. I´m not kidding. It gives them social status among their peers. I am talking about highly educated and successful people who have a powerful social network. Thats so scary. . So, what can you do? Well, if you are killing rhinos to impress your friends, just stop! I kid of course, I know you are far more intelligent than that:) But what you CAN do even if you don´t live in South Africa, is donate to a rhino protection organization of choice. They are the true heroes who risk their life to protect these wonderful creatures from poachers.

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on

View this post on Instagram

”Summer snow” . What the heck is going on? What is up with this weird world weather we are having? Australia is seeing record-breaking temperatures while the US is frozen solid. Is the weather broken? . The record breaking heat in Australia leads to wildfire rage and temperatures of near 50 degrees have been recorded for the first time ever. Meanwhile the US is facing colder temperatures than Antarctic as a polar vortex produces temperatures of minus 40 degrees. Brrrrrrrrr. . So what’s up? Why can’t spring just gradually warm until it turns into summer? Why is there such a violent tug-of-war between seasons? Why is it so hot and so cold? Is this a climate change thing?  Well, in this particular case the scientists still debating. It could still be a ”weather” thing and not ”climate”. . But no matter what the case is here, the consequences are affecting everything around us. Not just us humans, animals are indeed having a harsh time also. Those poor creatures! . The brown bear has received very little attention in this respect, mostly because of his PR-friendly cousin, climate change-poster boy Mr Polar Bear. But the brown bear will have their habitat reduced by 11 percent by 2050 due to the variations in temperature. As you can imagine, having longer winters, and shorter summers really messes up his routine man. It’s reducing their ability to find food and not giving them the chance to gain weight for winter snooze. Ana this, my friends, impacts their reproduction rates. . So this extreme weather we’re having… well, welcome to the new normal.  Unleast until we’re ready to make a change… . #ps_animal #ps_opposites #enter_imagination #thecreativers #ps_wild #digitalmanipulations #creativegrammer #learn_photoshop #creativeoptic #gramslayers #visualambassadors #photomanipulation #launchdsigns #manipulationclan #creativemobs #bestvisualz #edit_grams #xceptionaledits #serialshooters #strangertonez #createmanipulation #lightmobs #thecreateart #visual_creatorz #conceptart #theuniversalart #simplycooldesign #watchthisinstagood #visualmobs #thedesigntip

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on