As an artist, Austin Picinich, 19, believes art can be far more than something nice to look at. When combined with a community-focused purpose, art can have a much larger impact and inspire others

As an artist, Austin Picinich, 19, believes art can be far more than something nice to look at. When combined with a community-focused purpose, art can have a much larger impact and inspire others to make a difference. In 2021, Picinich created Save Our Salmon through Art (SOS), a nonprofit that creates public arts projects that educate, engage, and empower communities to be better stewards of local salmon-spawning streams. Many of Seattle’s urban streams are hidden under culverts, flowing below paved roads, which prevents salmon from returning to their natal streams to lay eggs. Picinich’s campaign was inspired in part by Juanita Creek, a stream less than a minute from his home where only three salmon return to spawn in 2021.

As part of this work, Picinich hosts interactive mural painting events. He designs, outlines, and color-codes salmon-themed murals onto blank walls. Then, during “SOS Community Days,” volunteers work with attendees, who each get their brush and cup of paint, to complete a mural. So far, Picinich has led nearly 750 volunteer painters in the Greater Seattle area. The events have had more than 3,000 attendees and raised more than $28,000 for stream restoration. In all, SOS has reached about 980,000 people through its awareness efforts.