Today’s Pick: Optical illusion art with an eco twist
Published about 2 hours ago • 4 min read
Editors’ Picks • April 15, 2026
Today is World Art Day, and the woman we’re featuring is truly making the world a more beautiful place with her paintings — not least because they require picking up litter. Environmental artist Mariah Readingvisits national parks and public lands, collects trash, and paints impressionist-style landscapes on the debris. She then photographs her masterpieces against the reference settings to make a statement about our human footprint. Check out her eco-centric optical illusions at the link below.
Natalie Stone
Managing Editor
Today’s Pick
Courtesy of Mariah Reading
Eco-Artist Creates Optical Illusions by Painting Trash She Collects in National Parks
Our human footprint on national parks is undeniable: a crushed can littering the ground in Denali, a lone flip-flop left behind in Zion. Trash sullies these sights of natural beauty, but eco-artist Mariah Reading has found a way to merge the two and promote mindfulness about our environmental impact.
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