Reflecting on the October 21 climate change display

 Although this original display took place in a local Church back in Sept / October 21, on reflection it seems to have acted as a bit of a watershed for creative ideas to start emerging at a local grass roots level - for alternative perspectives to be represented concerning the ongoing climate change challenges we face. 

Ideas are gradually being explored, the potential advantages of using public spaces to highlight climate themes, are becoming positive spaces of reflection, discussion and for collaborative action to take place. 

Focussing on climate concerns has enabled two recent project opportunities to take place -  One based on COP26 and a current display - Letters to the Earth. Both held at the local  library - And both encouraging public participation and engagement. 

Through these events a number of local creative's  are participating by responding  to certain themes. It is an organic, inclusive approach, from which is emerging a non- hieracicle  setting- Our individual responses culminating into an inclusive collaborative response.

Future themes throughout spring will focus on trees and their intrinsic part of the web of life-Feb/March22. A rewilding theme to consider local spaces /garden....public participation to take place in May -growing sunflowers from seeds with opportunities of displaying in the library,  images of sunflowers in the Autumn of 2022..these are early days and we remain open toward other opportunities emerging and evolving.

                                             
Work from 2013 focussing on the effects of deforestation 

titled , We are making a new world, yf

                      Part of the image in above exhibition ,                                 Forests came before civilzations ...deserts

                     came after, 2013, yf

New works for next library display focussing on the COP26 Glasgow Climate debates

Below workings for the next library project

COP26- A Collaboration of artists - Their creative endeavours inspiried by ecological based stories.

   Ongoing COP26 display. The first collaborative images ....

Human Kind...We are but one thread, all things hold together all things connect - Chief from the Native Americans

COP 26 display in progress at the Local Library - A collaboration of Five local creatives. A Potter, A Designer, and Three artists. All working in different mediums - Each focussing on alternative ways of expressing creative production.  

Local artists- what inspires their creativity? How does nature, the elements and the natural environment  influence their work? The importance of ethical, holistic and alternative methods of  production. Through their creative endeavours,what approaches are employed for more ecologicaly sustainable ways of being in the world.

Scape, collage Marianne Koby-
Johnson.

Marianne Koby-Johnson, Assemblages, Mariannes beautiful, delicate works are created out of found objects both man made and natural.." I love making Assemblages from found objects, and painting nature with oils on found wood. "

Boat, Assemblage Marianne Koby Johnson.

Pottery, clay used from Robs Garden. Rob
Rutterford.

Rob Rutterford's sculptural ceramics & pottery - Made from natural clay resources from his own garden. He comments, "Within my ceramics and sculptures I try to use recycled materials. Using Raku techniques which were originaly developed by a Japanese family of potters, who believed being closer to the process creates greater understanding on many levels. "When firing his work Rob needs to be alone watch carefully and respond to the fire ...timing must be accurate. It is very much a philosophical and intuitive approach when responding to the elements. Robs views are If we were to consider an attentive approach of responding toward our planet a balance could be made, to make things better." Rob also uses found pieces of drift wood from the shorelines in his work. And gathered tree branches from the locality where he lives. His earthen vases have a particularly appealing rustic beauty enhanced by Rob's ethically, philosphical centered approach.

Raku Birds on Drift wood Rob 
Rutterford, Ceramacist/ Potter

 

Diane Self''s creative textile works reveal her love, enthusiasm and connection to the natural environment. Diane uses natural dyes and materials inspired by nature and local landscapes. Using vegetable-based dyes in the production of her work is a valuable non-pollutant contribution to the sustainability of our planets fragile eco-systems. This highlights the array of possibilities and alternative ways of sustainable production as a realistic and viable option. Its potential to make positive impacts both ecologically and ethically. The wall hanging below demonstraites one of the many ways Diane is able to use her skills, connecting with the natural environment through her use of materials derived from the natural world.

            

The magnified image shows the subtle earthy hues and intricate qualities

 within Diane's craft  - inspiring.

Meraylah Allwoods, painterly creations are stunning ethereal miniatures. She uses imagery as a way of expressing her deep connections to nature, the elements and seasons.Dwelling on a small holding, she uses methods of permaculture when growing fruit and vegtables. This sustainable endeavour is a holistic approach, responsibly and ethically working with the land and natural environment.

This particular image, Earth Angel, is a beautiful example and depiction of that interconnection Meraylah experiences. The image centering on a serene cosmos style figure, whose loving embrace emulates a sense of care, being at one with the whole of nature, at one with all life forms on planet Earth. Meraylah incorporated a poem circling the figure.

 

Yvonne's work in contrast depicts the current detrimental effects of  human activity. The ensuing environmental dissonance topical today. In this work she uses reclaimed materials, the ground embossed with thick gesso. Painted using muted acrylic hues and inks. The image alludes to the deterioration of  natural habitats. Fragile ecosystems many find themselves surviving within rather than thriving. The artwork is etched with the words 'Humankind, we are but one thread, all things hold together, all things connect'.  This phrase also emphasised in her most recent work Alterered Perceptions. Where a soliatry creature is embedded into an abstracted space, illuminating the detrimental and ailenating effects of industrial pesticides on the natural environment.

Public participation , making a promise to the Planet

Tree installation with many thanks for the help of local 

librarians.

Making the tree installation for the Library

Images for the Cop 26 Display

 "Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison, by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." Einstein. ref1

Maybe a time is coming to re-imagine - to set in motion, a new way of being...An alternative narrative to outdated models present societies have become conditioned to imbibe. Past principles which set in motion human ideologies of dominion over the natural world through the subjugation of all other species. As we now experience the effects of current unsustainabilty, caused by anthropecene degradation and depleation of Earths natural resources - unable to imagine future consequences these actions might entail. Humans... we only exist because we are part of the whole earth-system. For a few hundred years we have lived acting like we own the place. Its time to take responsibility. To creatively shift to new value and belief systems. Ones holistic and in harmony with the ecosystems on the planet ...Its time for an Ecological Civilization to emerge - Anon.

Carbon foot print reductions by Governments.

Presently I am working on images for the COP26 event being held October 31st into November 2021. Working in collaboration with Diane and Meraylah. We intend to draw on our diverse range of creative skills in order to display them in a public library. The works will be exhibited in conjunction with the COP26 event in Glasgow U.K. We hope to draw attention localy to the crucial dilemmas we face concerning the climate change - Global Governments will discuss how each intend to deal with their countrys fossil fuel emissions in order to reduce the global carbon foot print - For ongoing,sustainable and enduring life on this planet.

"To regain our full humanity...we have to regain our experience of connectedness with the entire web of life. "  Fritjof Capra, Visionary Systems Thinker. ref 2  

             

21st C, Mother & Child, charcoal/paper. yf.

 

                  The intention to work with charcoal on 

                 paper  as away to express  the on going plight &  displacement experienced                   

                 by Amazonian  people,  As the act of deforestation

                 by fire  occurs - the aftermath ...charred remains. 

                                                   

We Are Creating a New World yf

,

Part of Forest, Civilization, Desert, yf

 

                                                         Scorched, Eleventh Hour,mixedmedia yf

Displacement mixed media, yf 2013

References 1,2. from The Web Of Meaning, By Jeremy Lent. 2021 pg 118-119 

COP 26...Creative Event, Oct-Nov 22, Climate Change

 " I am fully committed to the idea that human exsisitence should be rooted in the earth." - Carl Jung.

                                                       

A few months from now COP 26 will be hosted in Glasgow.UK. International Governments gathering  in order to discuss  emergencey climate change  policies - Particularly focusing their debates and plans around the necessary reductions of fossil fuel pollutants currently impacting earths ecosystems.

Hope- capacity for change is still possible - even though around the globe unprecedented experiences of climate extremes reveal inevitable harsh realities upon ecosystems due to human activity- ecosystems  human survival depends upon. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Part Image Altered Perception yf

The ongoing climate induced realities, impacting tundra, land,flora, fauna, ice- caps, sea life habitats....A new paradigm shift is apparent. Either new values and new ways of sustainable living will emerge without further detriment or threats of further extinctions to other life forms. As well as our own. Imagining new modes of being where humans could live more harmoniously as a species - in ways that benefit holistically.

Maybe through gaining deeper ecological awareness, choosing to reconnect, in seeing ourselves as part of a whole would perhaps play a key and significant part to thriving as well as surviving... 

Many strategic, ecologically informed authors inspire new frameworks of being. Authors such as David Korten who shares ways to explore living in an ecological civilisation - His book, Change the Story Change The Future, looks at ways to engage, all our current civilisations tools in the process of change, be they experts in the techno, spiritual, sciences, economics, ecology... or Jeremy Lents latest book, The Web Of Meaning, which incorporates understanding how we have come to be, the consequential effects and our interdependence of all things and how the dynamics of those interconnections play their parts too. He explores the complexity of systems...rather than the reductionist veiw of the emphasised mechanical...I recently read Carl Jungs book, Earth Has A Soul (ref 1below) ....we have somehow lost our way and interconnection....he states and looks at the interconnection of indegenous peoples .."I am fully committed to the idea that human exsistence should be rooted in the earth."(ref pg 194)....Which seem like words of wisdom concerning where we presently stand.

Currently I'm in the process of collaborating with two other creatives. We intend to display the works   in a Library situ ....Each of us bringing work and ideas that connect with the current climate and which will coincide with the COP 26 Events...we hope to share our perspectives on the beauty of nature reconnection ...alternative ethical ways of productions with cloth and natural dyes.  And images referencing current ecological concerns. Presently we are intitally working on ways to present and articulate the works into a public domain. with reference to COP26. Works below are a finished series Altered perceptions...going a little further I intergrated human imagery into parts of the exsisiting works.  I hope in due time to share our collaborations, images and ideas on the blog...  : ) 

ref 1 ...Earth has a Soul Carl Jung, Edited essays by Meridith Sabini , North Atlantic Books Berkeley California .

Jeremy Lent The Web of Meaning,  philosophy and the Environmnet

David Korten, Change the Story Change The Future.