on converting a spruce plantation into a forest & other projects that inspire by Cathy Fitzgerald

I’ve joined/created groups on several online art/ecology/culture networks. Mostly I find these networks great for news and upcoming exhibitions /events. They are also handy after an event, as most people post a profile image on their page so its a good reminder of who’s who and what people are interested in/or what work they are doing.

I was at the first meeting of the Transition Town Ireland subgroup for their social online network last year. I’m a co-administrator on the site, not that I’m that active in the administration at the moment. However, over a year ago I started a group on Art & Ecology and another one on Close to Nature Forestry. The Art & Ecology subgroup of the TransitionTown Ireland site is the biggest on the network, with the Forest group running not too far behind.

On the Art & Ecology group I’ve brought in info (an RSS feed) from the UK RSA Art & Ecology programme blog that is updated frequently by excellent cultural journalist/writer, Will Shaw, and I post news there from time to time. I wouldn’t say there is huge amounts of activity yet but a nice thing is starting to happen. People are starting to post images of their work to share across this new cyber community, and I’m hoping this post might encourage others to do the same.

First up was a contribution from my friend Alan, who is more interested in environmental politics than art. He surprised me by putting up this great photo of a work he created at the beach – he’s really drawing with kelp!

The next image above is by Fergus Cronin from Co Clare. I met Fergus over lunch at the said TransitionTownIreland meeting in Dublin last year. After chatting about the joys of setting up local groups and all the hard work that it can be, I asked Fergus what he was interested in. Admist of lot of other activities he admitted had  quite a background in performance art. He then went onto describe a land art project that meant a lot to him and I encouraged him months ago to post it up on the site. He just sent me a note on the group last week with a photo of this work and I think its quite profound.  Like Alan, Fergus ‘drew’ with natural materials, this time though, with manure! ‘Home‘ is a great piece, particularly in light of how we all need reminding that earth is our only home! This work also shows an artist with great sensitivity to his local place while also considering just the use of natural materials and process to make the work; an example of deep ecology perhaps?

I wrote the word ‘home’ in my field using manure. The letters are about 30 feet long and this photo was taken by climbing a telegraph pole on the road by the field. I made the work in December 04, and took this photo two and a half years later in May 07.

So what about you? Its free and easy to submit your favorite image to the Art & Ecology group at TransitionTown (TT)Ireland – Sign Up on the home page here. TT is now global movement giving people knowledge and skills to thrive locally and resourcefully in these times of peak oil and climate change and culture is a very important part of how we will encourage our communities to envision/respond to new ideas.  Membership is free. If this group doesn’t suit, see the other Art/Culture & Ecology networks on my Links (on the right hand side of my home page). All these sites are easy to use social media sites like Facebook, so you can also post films, events, articles and re-tweet interesting things that you find! Looking forward to seeing your latest efforts soon.

Tagged as: art and ecology, land art, online networks, social media

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