This page was created by Alison Morgan. The last update was by students at Xavier University.
Poems
Elements
Light Within
When the Winds Came
Our Teacher
Along the Way
One
Evolved to Survive
Reflections
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Artist's Statement
Art in its many forms has been a part of human culture since the origins of life. It has been, and always will be, a way to express the inner most thoughts and feelings. In today’s modern time we use the term “green” art to try to identify a section of art, but often times we get lost in what the word “green” means. In reality it has a different meaning to each person. So when we try and define “green” art there is no true right answer. The way I think of green art is having to do with the Earth or environment in some way. I also think of green art as holistic. This means that I try to view it from all angles whether it be positive or negative. Instead of focusing on “the good ol’ days”, it should portray nature the way it is: balanced. Not every day is a warm spring day; especially when you live closely with the land. The last guideline is hope. Without an element of hope life would be a chore. My creative piece adheres to all of these guidelines. It is focused on human’s relationship with the Earth, but it does not take a pastoral tone, and creates a sense of hope.The photos I took have a specific meaning to me because I stood behind the camera and experienced that moment. Each moment I have chosen to include in my creative piece is focused on my surroundings. Whether that environment be the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, or the forest preserve down the street makes no difference to me. In each moment I was with my environment. This must be a central piece to any work considered to be green art. This can be both positive and negative. A work of art portraying a buffalo herd moving across the Great Plains and a work of art portraying the slaughtering of hundreds of thousands of buffalo are both green art to me. If we are only ever shown the majestic buffalo moving across the Dakotas we will never understand the struggles our environment has been put through. But, on the other hand if we are only shown the heartless massacre of those same buffalo we will never come to know the bond that we can have with this Earth. Like everything; there needs to be a balance.
Similarly, there needs to be a balance between portraying nature as beautiful or fluffy and tough or scary. If we were shown a picture of cowboys riding into the sunset then we would all think that living off the land or farming is easy and we can just ride horses around all day. When in reality ranching or farming is a very hard life that can be demanding in many ways. But, on the other hand if we were only to be taught that nature will take any opportunity to kill us then we would never enjoy the thrill of rock climbing. My pieces adhere to this by displaying the environment the way it is to me: friendly but at the same time kind of frightening. I feel safe with it, but I hold a certain respect for it. A respect that comes with the knowledge of what the Earth can do. Understanding that plans will be broken (sometimes in a good way, or in a bad way), and learning to adapted is how I live with the environment. My view of the environment has a visual element to it, which is why I added a photo to each poem. Having a visual along with the poem adds to the message because there are certain emotions that are nearly impossible to capture with words. Having a visual also puts the reader of the poems in a similar mindset to my own when I was in that moment taking the photo. This makes each phrase more relatable and was the reason I included the images.
The last element I see in the works that I define as green art is hope. Hope is a much needed sentiment when thinking about the state at which our world is in. It is very easy to be bogged down by the realization that our species has created so much distance from the natural world. Many times in my poems I mention a physical connection with the environment such as when I talk about my feet sinking in the soft silt of the wash out. This helps to make the bond with the Earth more concrete and easier for readers to identify with it. Hope is also something everyone can relate too and strengths the sense of family among humans. That was also one of my main goals. Strengthening the bond between humans and the Earth, but also the bond between humans will be key in solving the environmental crises we currently find ourselves in.
Other choices I made do not relate to my definition of green art. For example, each poem is a set of four pairs. This was done because in the Dinè (Navajo) culture they believe that everything is created in pairs. Four is also a sacred number because it come from two. I also chose to incorporate the four elements that the Navajo’s pray to: water, fire, wind, and rock. They believe that each object has a spirit and that each should be respected. I also chose to make all of the photos black and white to show an equality among Earth and ourselves. When I made this choice I was also hoping to make the vast images of the Grand Canyon and the trees down the street equal because both represent Earth. In some of the poems I also chose to capitalize some of the letters. This was down to show extra emphasis to the reader.
Often times when we think about fixing the environmental issues in our world we think about strictly scientific actions. But, part of our crisis is a cultural one. Without a shift in our way of life technology will not be able to solve all of our problems. Green art and art in general could help in changing the way in which we treat the Earth. I think educating people about the environmental issues is crucial, but reaching people on a spiritual or philosophical level could be enough to change their mindset. By defining green art as holistic, balanced, and inspiring I think we have the best chance of turning things around and creating a better world for future generations.
