After yo-yoing between anxious overwhelm and panic about the climate crisis for quite some time, I decided a better use of my time might be to get involved in local climate action work. I did the Carbon Cutter training in April and am really grateful for the time ACT volunteers gave up – ACT is a real font of knowledge and I learnt so much. 

I am an artist and from similar motivations was due to take part in the Teignmouth indoor TRAIL exhibition accompanying the outdoor sculpture trail along the seafront this summer – my featured work was two large cyanotypes of ocean plastic gathered beachcombing at a remote beach on the Brixham – Kingswear coastal footpath. The brilliant TRAIL and accompanying exhibition were focused on creating art from recycled materials. I contacted Sam at TAAG/ the Makery (the brilliant creative mind and force that runs the Makery, its workshops and supports in the creation of the sculptures) and asked if we could do a window display to go alongside the exhibition, galvanise awareness of climate issues and provoke thought about climate action and how to get involved.

Sam kindly offered the window space at the Makery for all of July and so I had my first go at window painting. Inspired by the National Emergency Briefing on the Climate and Nature crisis film I decided to paint a hopeful message: “83% of us want more climate action. Let’s make it happen”, alongside some beach finds/ common ocean plastic (mermaid’s purses next to fishing nets etc.) on the window, to draw interest. Behind this was a stand featuring posters advertising ACT’s initiatives such as the Wildlife Warden and My Electricity, Emergency Briefing event posters and actions we can all take to cut carbon, as well as local groups to get involved in.

I am very grateful to have done the Carbon Cutter training and definitely feel consequently more empowered and like I have a place in banging the drum for climate action.  I’m trying to organise two more local screenings of the Emergency Briefing film and am confident more environmentally themed art will follow. 

The summer heat was a challenge and within two days the writing had started literally melting down the window, leaving the writing visibly dripping and wonky. Ironically it ended up working differently than intended to highlight the urgent need for climate action.