Conservation

"The place where I live and work in the incredible Canadian province of British Columbia has had an impact on how I see and respect nature. This has influenced new directions in my art and in my commitment to conservation, starting at home and then looking beyond.    "

THE ART 

Art can help to remind each of us of our place in nature, and helps us find our way home for a healthy sustainable future. As an artist I hope that sharing my artwork helps others to see what I see and to love what I love. 

With sketchbook in hand, I am particularly interested in observing and learning about resilient wild survivors (plants, insects, birds and animals) at the wildland-urban interface. I am interested in looking beyond just appearances, to see patterns, connections and the hidden order in disorder. 

"Pay attention. Live astonished. Tell about it. " 
(Mary Oliver)

 

STARTING AT HOME

Observations and ideas may start with individuals working independently, but once shared  they can start ripples and contribute to positive change. We each make positive choices when we care about our surroundings. Artists have unique roles as observers, and sometimes as storytellers. Our work gains meaning when shared with others.
 

ARTISTS FOR CONSERVATION

The AFC community offers opportunities to contribute to a culture of caring, alongside like-minded artists supporting worthy causes. I am honoured to become a member of this group!  I look forward to supporting conservation efforts and education programs for the protection of our natural environment and wildlife, through the sale of my artwork.

I am also committed to participation and positive choices that contribute locally to conservation in my own community and in the Okanagan region. 
 

 

Conservation Projects & Causes

<em>Edit Conservation Project/Cause</em> Friends of Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Society  -  | Susan Neilson

Friends of Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Society

MEMBER OF THE BOARD - Community Conservation Group 

The conservation area near my art studio has four distinct ecosystems within a relatively small space almost completely surrounded by development, so there has been concern about its fragility and its importance. We have tiny Western Screech Owls, Pacific Skinks and other creatures raising families right by the fence lines. The forest floor has changed, water supplies have been diverted and some trees have fallen. The district parks do their best to care for fragile areas, but community support is also always essential for park...

Kelowna Nectar Trail

This project was started in the spring of 2017, with leadership from Nancy Holmes from UBC Okanagan. Private homes and businesses throughout Kelowna  signed on to support wild pollinators by planting and maintaining gardens with pollinator-friendly flowers to help wild bees and other pollinators move safely through the urban landscape. In 2019 Border Free Bees (BFB) and Kelowna Museums also hosted workshops to help people become Travelling Bee Ambassadors.

I was not an organizer for this project, but I am interested in supporting it. I participate as a neighbour, and with my garden...