Climate Action Visual Arts Collection
Visual Arts
Climate Action Visual Arts Collection
Visual Arts
Arts Practice
Hello my name is Julie and I am an Optimistic Climate Change Artist based in West Wales , United Kingdom.
Art Practice-My climate story
The experience of climate change is not the same for all of us. Inhabitants of Earth are spread around the globe with many indigenous communities living in extreme conditions for thousands of years. My own story started in a mining village in Nottingham where I could hear the coal trucks shifting the black stuff overnight.
From there I moved to the East coast where agriculture became more and more homogeneous and hedgerows were destroyed for ever larger mono cultures in expanding fields. So in a personal context I have been moving away from industrial human endeavour. I now live in a traditional stone cottage with an orchard and kitchen garden.
Over my life I have witnessed the degradation of nature at first hand. In the UK I have moved from the East Coast to the West Coast where contrasting agricultural systems have evolved. The pace of change in pursuit of profit has decimated our natural environments. In order to change the minds of decision makers towards sustainable growth we need to change the financial rewards framework.
My artworks focus on the scientific knowledge that we have with a view to adapting to climate change. We have all the skills and knowledge already available to survive and thrive. Local community is the key to change and strong causes prompt positive communication and hone cooperation skills.
We need to work together quickly towards actions that help. The financial incentives are going to have to change as food production systems break down. Working with disadvantaged community groups and focusing on good health as a base line means small improvements make a huge difference. That’s what I love about this project.
You can follow me on Instagram @purpleyellowbelly. I am happy to be working with “The Wonders of this Place – CLIMATE EDUCATION” on its call to action for a better future. Let’s ignite a global movement on World Earth Day 2024, empowering a generation to protect the wonders of our precious planet.
Visual Arts
Julie's Collection
Julie's Collection
Steel
This piece is painted on paper with mixed materials ,watercolour paints, marker pen and printed extracts from a 1999 science encyclopedia. My grandmother was born in 1901 and worked in the local Sheffield cutlery industry. This painting is a response to the industrial work that was required from the population in order to produce huge amounts of stainless steel goods. There were over 230 cutlery companies in Sheffield and you can imagine the huge volume of coal required to keep them busy.
Julie's Collection
New Paths
This piece is constructed on a reused canvas from acrylic paint, glue, wet wipes, printed and folded science encyclopedia pages, with overpainting and block printing. The young couple in the top left hand corner are having to move around to find work because of the changing climate. Their path is blocked by a huge gyre of waste which has damaged their water systems. They have a ray of hope in the natural environment that can sustain them if they work with it.
Julie's Collection
Elite Compost
This piece is painted on unframed stretched canvas with acrylic paints using brushes and spatulas. The black represents petrochemical compounds extracted from the earth and then remaining in the environment. The other marks are a response to the fact that things unnatural don’t break down into useful compost. The flying hashtags represent all the talk about good outcomes and actions that might help. Central to the painting is the rainbow which adds a future intention which might be just a glimmer on spilt petrol.