Climate Women
12/06/24 15:37 Filed in:
Climate Fiction Guest Blog by Kathryn Williamson
Art, Feminism, Climate Activism |
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“Climate Women”
series is mainly for myself to learn and be inspired by women climate leaders while simultaneously getting back to a regular oil painting practice. The women featured are authors in the book
All We Can Save
, which is part of a larger
All We Can Save Project
. Reading this book and painting these women while listening to their voices on podcasts and TED Talks has become a meditation and learning practice for me. As I seek to embody intersections of art, feminism, climate activism, and Earth and space science, I find strength, motivation, and hope in their power and wisdom.
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Visit : Kathryn Williamson
| I believe that healing the climate is connected with healing ourselves, which includes listening to our creativity and the small seeds of yearning we have. Listening, learning, encouraging each other in community. Even though I haven’t met these women, I feel in community with them. I want to grow from the wisdom they provide, I want to meditate on their words and feel affected by them. And the process of painting helps me do that. |
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I believe all of these women are showing up the way I feel called to show up, living into the calling to be and become in this moment, to be fully alive on this Earth and in this Universe. Some of these women are scientists, some artists, and journalists. Some of the essays by Indigenous women have most affected me. I mourn how late I am arriving to this perspective, how much I didn’t inherit from my culture – wisdom, respect, connection, and love. Too often I am driven by the ethos of efficiency, productivity, ignoring or pretending like I don’t have needs or emotions or a spirit that needs to be nurtured. Stopping the grind to do these paintings is my own little resistance, my own commitment to my own healing of my mind, body, and spirit to reconnect with the pulse of this world, my listening to those whose voices need to be heard, amplified, and echoed throughout the world.
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On my good days, I can point to the climate actions I have taken
and
feel that I can count myself among these women. My perspective of humanity, place and time is a perspective I cherish, and that I believe is amplified by my work as an astronomy educator. Pondering deep time and vast space is common for astronomers. This perspective has only amplified my love of Earth and Earthlings, how amazing we are for being
here
. Carl Sagan’s quote, “we are a way for the Universe to know itself” captures this. It also keeps me connected to something bigger than us on Earth. It makes me feel better – whatever happens with the climate and Earthlings in the future, nothing will change the validity of this quote.
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Note: This is very much a work in progress. More image of paintings coming soon, pending approval by authors.
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This is Claire Datnow, a former teacher and novelist who writes eco-adventure young adult books, whom I met at the
Environmental Education Association of Alabama
(EEAA) meeting this past February. Claire helped me learn more about the power of writing and storytelling. I know all too well how “the science alone is not enough” in helping people understand or act on climate change. Stories, with relatable characters and meaningful plots, can help us to understand climate at a personal level. Stories can provide us a roadmap for solutions and a vision for a better future. I realized I wanted to paint Claire as part of my “Climate Women” series, and I asked her to send me some reference photos.
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I finished the painting just in time for the June EEAA Board meeting. I called Claire the day before and said I’d like to buy one of her books, too, “The Grey Whale’s Lament,” and asked her to bring a copy. Since this is the second book in her Four Elements Trilogy, Claire said she’d also bring the first book, “Red Flag Warning.” When we saw each other in person at the
Oak Mountain Interpretive Center
, a perfect place to walk among the trees and breathe in the fresh humidity at the beginning of the southern summer, Claire signed her books for me. I showed her and her husband, Boris, the painting. She exclaimed, “Wow, no one’s ever painted my portrait before!” and, “I’m not quite sure it looks like me,” but Boris said he can see the resemblance.
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Since then, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading “Red Flag Warning." The characters are so endearing; I feel like I’m right there with them as they navigate fire from
habitat destruction and excessive heat, deal with burns and
injuries, bond with the animals in their region, and ultimately band together to inspire real change. I’m so glad to know Claire’s books are being used in classrooms, as I think they can inspire youth to see themselves as leaders in addressing the climate crisis. Her websites provide links to purchase her books and teacher guides for educators looking to implement related lesson plans. I highly recommend checking them out!
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https://clairedatnow.com/
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https://mediamint.net/
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Tags: Climate Activists, Climate change, Climate fiction adventure young readers, Climate fiction trilogy, Climate Justice, ClimateFiction middle grade