Egle Plytnikaite’s Work Supporting
The Ancient Woods Foundation
The Directory of Illustration is proud to highlight the amazing work of Egle Plytnikaite and her passionate support for the Ancient Woods Foundation. Egle’s project with Rastine Cafe is an inspiring demonstration of art and creativity being utilized to amplify environmental preservation efforts.
About the Ancient Woods Foundation: As forests disappear, so do their inhabitants, bound by strong bonds of dependence. Due to vigorous human activity, the old groves, which make up 80% of the territory of Lithuania, have disappeared, and with them – many species that lived inside. The team of Ancients Woods Foundation consists of a large community of scientists and professionals, united by a common goal of restoring the old Lithuanian forests and the belief that only by working together, true change can be achieved.
The idea of establishing a foundation to preserve the old-growth forests of Lithuania arose after seeing the public interest in the documentary “Ancient Woods.” Director, Mindaugas Survila, set aside the money it made, 60 thousand euros, towards purchasing the first forest plots, positioned to become the first public, Lithuanian ancient forest. Further activities of the foundation will be based on privately donated funds, dedicated to the acquisition of forest plots. In this way, forests will be protected from felling and the first ancient forest in Lithuania will be established.
The Ancient Woods Foundation has raised funds from private donors and businesses and has already purchased 89 hectares of ancient forests in Lithuania. This is the territory they are protecting and they are working hard to purchase and protect more ancient woodlands in the near future.
About Egle Plytnikaite: Egle is a freelance illustrator and creative based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Her works are minimal, colorful, and conceptually driven, often utilizing subtle textures that give her work a vintage warmth whilst maintaining a contemporary aesthetic. Egle frequently works on a range of social, editorial, and commercial projects for a diverse range of clients, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, The Guardian, Die Zeit, United Nations, Harper’s Bazaar, The Bank of America, Monocle and many others. Egle’s goal as an illustrator is to create work that catches your eye and challenges your worldview.
Egle is represented by Rapp Art.
We had the great pleasure of hearing from Egle firsthand about her dedicated involvement with the Ancient Woods Foundation.
“I began volunteering with the Ancient Woods Foundation right from its inception. This foundation’s primary mission is to safeguard Lithuania’s ancient forests and raise awareness about their critical role in biodiversity and the ecosystem. I consider this cause one of the central missions of my life. So, from the very outset of the foundation’s establishment, I’ve been actively exploring innovative ways in which creativity and art can be harnessed to support the preservation of these ancient woodlands.”
“When Rastine Cafe in Vilnius approached me with the idea of creating window displays, prints, postcards, and activity books for them, I immediately recognized a wonderful opportunity to transform this project into an educational initiative in support of the Ancient Woods Foundation.
We reached an agreement with the Rastine Cafe team that all the proceeds generated from this project would be donated to the Ancient Woods Foundation and both of their cafes would serve as fantastic venues for learning about the foundation, fungi, biodiversity, and ancient forests.”
“While crafting an activity book for children, I aimed to delve deep into the world of mushrooms, presenting its wonders as captivatingly and comprehensively as possible. My objective was to underscore the crucial role mushrooms play in the ecosystem and why it is imperative to protect these old-growth forests, which serve as the habitat for numerous undiscovered and unexplored fungi species.”
“Each print I’ve created highlights a distinct facet of the fungal realm, while the window displays and external elements infuse vibrant mushrooms into the heart of the city.”
“I‘m immensely pleased with the outcome of this project, and I hold the hope that, through it, more people will join us in the mission to safeguard these ancient forests for future generations.”
