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OPS Feature Artist
Inspiring conservation and awareness through art
OPS is often approached by artists around the world seeking to contribute to both OPS’ mission and public awareness about issues such as wildlife conservation, climate change, and protecting oceans and marine life.
In response, we are excited to launch our inaugural ‘OPS Feature Artist’ partnership program that will feature a different artist on a rotating basis. A few times a year, OPS will highlight the work of a profiled artist, showcasing his or her artwork to motivate and ignite the activist in each of us.
OPS believes in the power of art and imagery. By featuring the amazing artwork of ‘artivists’ around the globe, we are committed to inspiring individual action and fostering collaborative solutions to the Planet’s most pressing issues.
All media and artistic platforms are invited for consideration. Contact us to become the next OPS Feature Artist.
Melody Smith was born and raised in Southern California. She currently calls Arizona home and has made a career in the art world from being an Art Director and Graphic Designer to creating and selling fine art professionally. Her style is a combination of folk art with a street art style, yet she has a separate dedication to help save our planet by creating nature and animal art with a message.
After graduating from college in California, Melody pursued her career as an art director and graphic designer in Los Angeles and Orange County. Her projects allowed her to travel and absorb various cultures and her work reflects this with her use of vibrant colors and street art appeal.
For Melody, art is a way of advocating for the animals and spreading awareness. She was part of a grassroots movement in Arizona to shut down a dolphin amusement park. The facility eventually closed down with persistence from many dedicated organizations and individuals.
She traveled to Haiti to support the Haiti Ocean Project and painted ocean-themed murals with the local community and provided art lessons for the youth there. She continues to support the project from a distance.
Her series on critically endangered species portrays each amazing animal in its habitat with floral motifs and fabric patterns that are native to each animal’s region.
Melody hopes to spread the message that change is needed to save our beautiful planet. She is a firm believer that every small step helps, and we can all spread awareness and compassion for the issues that are critical to future generations.
All artwork featured here is available for purchase.* A portion of the proceeds from these prints supports the mission of OPS. Each and every purchase helps to make the work of OPS possible!
To see Melody’s other creations and original artwork, connect with her on social media (Instagram) @melodysmithsart or visit her nature art here, and complete art collection here. You can also contact Melody to discuss the purchase of available originals as well as custom or commissioned artwork to benefit OPS!
Watercolor originals have been reproduced on archival textured paper and are packaged with a white matte, framing the image. Acrylic originals have been reproduced on coated satin canvas and are packaged with a white matte, framing the image.
Reprint on Archival Textured Paper
With over 300 species of Octopus, this amazing creature is a vital part of our oceanic ecosystem. It’s wonderful that some countries are starting to pass laws that are recognizing octopus, crabs, and lobsters as sentient beings.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 12.0 inches (image); 12.0 x 16.0 (with white matte framing image)
$45.00 USD
Reprint on Archival Textured Paper
Much attention needs to be focused on ending the whale and dolphin hunts in the Faroe Islands. Hopefully this peaceful pod of Atlantic White-sided dolphins will raise awareness.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 12.0 inches (image); 16.0 x 12.0 (with white matte framing image)
$45.00 USD
Reprint on Archival Textured Paper
Environmental as well as climate changes have impacted Blue Whales putting them on the endangered list. Entanglement, ocean pollution, plastics and toxins are threatening this top of the food chain species.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 12.0 inches (image); 16.0 x 12.0 (with white matte framing image)
$45.00 USD
Reprint on Archival Textured Paper
Only native to Hawaii, this rare species is on the critically endangered list. All efforts to keep this species alive is in full force. Loss of habitat, fishing entanglement, ocean pollution, disease and ocean predators are just some of the reasons this species has been disappearing. Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 12.0 inches (image); 16.0 x 12.0 (with white matte framing image)
$45.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
The beautiful Hawksbill sea turtle is on the critically endangered list. It can be found in the tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans helping maintain our beautiful coral reefs . Their biggest threat is the trade and sale of their beautiful shell and their habitats are also threatened due to fishing, by-catch, pollution and coastal development.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.00 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas.
Critically endangered, the Sumatran elephant is from Borneo and Sumatra. There are less than 2800 left. This amazing animal has been poached for its tusks and half of its population has been reduced because of habitat loss due to human conflict resulting in deforestation.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
There are less than 5400 left in the eastern regions of Africa and Namibia. They are one of the oldest groups of mammals and thanks to the many conservation efforts in Africa and many brave, dedicated groups, the number has actually risen in the last 20 years yet they are still on the “critically endangered list”. Poachers still remain the main threat for brutally and illegally stealing and selling the horns. Human infrastructure has also taken away precious land. Efforts to conserve the land will also benefit other animals who are crucial to the ecosystem.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
Orangutans are currently only found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. The name orangutan means “man of the forest” in Malay. The Sumatran orangutan is critically endangered. They share 94.6% of our genetic make-up and are highly intelligent. Habitats are disappearing due to palm oil plantations, illegal logging and other agricultural plantations.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
There are less than 300 Malayan Tigers located on the Malay Peninsula and the southern tip of Thailand putting them on the critically endangered list. Farming and agriculture, development of roads, logging operations and poaching has led to their demise. They are also in high demand for “folk” medicinal reasons as well as a status symbol of wealth. Protecting tiger habitats also protects other species such as elephants and Leopards.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
There are 8 species of Pangolins – all are endangered and half of them are on the critically endangered list. Four species are found in Africa and four species are found in Asia and all eight are protected under national and international laws but that has not stopped the massive illegal trade of pangolins. They are the most illegally poached and trafficked animal in the world. Their flesh is considered a delicacy, their scales are used for old “traditional medicinal” uses and their babies are sold.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
The Vaquita is on the verge of extinction with less than 15 individuals surviving in Mexico’s Gulf of California. The smallest porpoise wasn’t even discovered until 1958. Since then, the population has dropped at a rapid rate from by-catch where they get entangled and drown after being caught in gillnets intended for catching Totoaba – an endangered fish. Even though the government permanently banned the use of gillnets in June 2017, and the international trade of Totoaba was also banned, it is still in high demand for its swim bladder and this has spurred the illegal fishing and trade of Totoaba causing the many deaths of the Vaquita.
Print Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
The beautiful Amur Leopard’s habitat is North Eastern Mongolia, South East Russia and North East China. Right now there are less than 30 in the wild. Their ecosystem has been fractured by human population, timber production, pollution and new climate trends resulting in habitat destruction. Wild ginseng, which grows across the Russian Far East portion of the region is also collected and sold for belief in its “healing power,” resulting in loss of habitat. Poaching has declined, but there is still trade for animal products in the area including bear gall bladders and tiger paws.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
The Western Lowland Gorilla is a very widespread species covering a larger area in Western Middle Africa including the Congo. Ebola and poaching are the main causes for the diminishing numbers of this amazingly beautiful animal. A 2004 Ebola outbreak killed 95 percent of the Western Lowland Gorillas. Poaching of this animal is also a major threat. The hunting and killing of gorillas is illegal. Gorillas are killed for bush meat or to steal their young. This poaching holds dangers for humans since Ebola may be spread through handling/butchering of Gorilla meat.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Critically Endangered Species Series
Reprint on Archival Textured Paper
The Toucan is now on the endangered list. Deforestation of the South American rainforests has destroyed their habitat and there is high demand for Toucans as they are being captured and sold as pets.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 12.0 inches (image); 12.0 x 16.0 (with white matte framing image)
$45.00 USD
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
A reminder of the symbiotic relationship between earth, animals and humans.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
A tribute to keep these amazing marine mammals in the ocean and out of amusement parks for entertainment and profit.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 8.0 inches (image); 12.0 x 12.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
Escape to paradise where you can be alone with nature.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
What a way to enjoy the beauty of our coastline.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 11.0 x 14.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
One with the sea. There’s a little mermaid in all of us.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 8.0 inches (image); 12.0 x 12.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00 USD
Reprint on Coated Satin Cotton Canvas
I always get that peaceful, easy feeling when the ocean is near.
Size and Pricing
8.0 x 10.0 inches (image); 14.0 x 11.0 (with white matte framing image)
$35.00USD
Set of 4 Greeting Cards
Blank cards with white envelopes featuring reprints of four originals by Melody Smith -Octopus Flowers, Atlantic White-sides, Blue Whales, and Hawaiian Monk Seals.
Size and Pricing
4.25 x 5.5 inches $16.00USD
Choose from Octopus Flowers, Atlantic White-sides, Blue Whales, or Hawaiian Monk Seals. Perfect for water bottles, vehicles and more!
Size and Pricing*
*All stickers are $5.00 USD
Octopus Flowers
3.5 x 5.0 inches Order
Atlantic White-sides
5.5 x 3.0 inches Order
Blue Whales
5.0 x 3.0 inches Order
Hawaiian Monk Seals
4.75 x 3.0 inches Order
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