Tending Project

My British Columbia, is an exploration of the shifting relationships between more-than-human life and environmental changes across British Columbia. Recognizing the inherent value and dignity of all people, including Indigenous peoples and their knowledge. 

I have been studying and traveling to various ecosystems—forests, riversides, and urban parks—observing and engaging with the more-than-human species and their surroundings. My study includes places close to my home in Vancouver B.C. like Mount Pleasant and Queen Elizabeth Park, but also includes places from my travels across British Columbia. 

I document these experiences through live paintings and sketches, capturing real-time interactions and reflections in my art journal. I’m inspired by Julia Rothman’s Nature Anatomy, which blends illustrations with scientific observations, and I aim to do something similar but with a focus on British Columbia. My documentation offers snippets of notes, diagrams, and illustrations that reflect more-than human life and places I encounter. 

My goal is to capture how ecosystems adapt to environmental changes, seasonal transitions, and the ongoing impact of climate change. I observe how more-than-human life responds to everything from temperature fluctuations to human interactions and natural events. This project is about documenting life and my own connection to my home in British Columbia while deepening my understanding of how my art can support and reflect the natural world around us. 

I’m mindful of recognizing that all humans and more-than human inhabitants have intrinsic worth and deserve respect and care. I show this respect by using native names and language in my studies, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous knowledge in my studies. 

sources:

1) https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2020-0083

2)https://www.sierraclub.ca/action-item/webinar-eco-anxiety-eco-grief-and-solastalgia-approaches-for-activists/