EcoArtivist
— “ecoartivism”; Pronunciation: ēko’ar –ti,- vi-zəm; Function: noun
The practice of using art as a tool for the advocacy of the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment; especially: the movement to control pollution.
— “eco·art·iv·ist”; noun or adjective
In Kathleen’s curatorial debut, this exhibition features the work of twelve women artists exploring diverse ways of creative integration with nature in their artistic output.
The show opened at Bushel Collective on Saturday October 5, 2024 with artists talks.
The run of the show included a Mineral Pigment workshop led by Emily Johnston and a PBS documentary screening, “How to Power a City” by Melanie La Rosa.
Symbiocene Era: Artists Envision Environmental Symbiosis
Bushel Collective, October 5-November 3, 2024
EcoAction Cards
All Hands on Deck
A Collaboration by Christie Scheele and Kathleen Sweeney with artworks and photography donated by 12 eco-artists.
A card deck to inspire Eco Collaborations:
Green the World One Step at a Time
EcoAction Cards, a 60-card deck, contains 5 cards in 12 categories, with hundreds of ideas for climate change solutions in your own life, home, garden, community and beyond. This pack of hopeful solutions provides joyful, fun, simple, easy-to-do actions. One card, one idea, one action at a time. Step by step, every action matters. Collectively, we can create systems change.
Generate Hope • Create Possibility • Build Collaborative Communities
The EcoAction Card Deck is designed to stimulate intergenerational dialogues based in play and possibility through 12 categories. Designed to offset eco-anxiety with fun, hands-on, creative how-tos through many portals of possibility, this game inspires curiosity, encourages innovative hacks and solutions, and generates hope while building community.
COMING SOON!
Sign up for our mailing list to learn more about the Eco Action Card Deck release and upcoming community workshops!
Two weeks into my relocation from New York City to Roxbury, NY, I helped co-found a grassroots organization, called Don’t Trash the Catskills. This nimble effort by talented local artists resulted in shutting down a giant garbage plant proposed for a bald eagle habitat. The curated website and social media campaign designed by volunteers resulted in 750 protest letters to the Department of Environmental Preservation.
This experience underscored the pivotal role artists play as creative stewards of the Catskills ecosystem and the need for expanded interconnection. This contributes to the core root system of my current focus:The Book of Awe Project.
The website has continued to serve communities in other NY State counties who have subsequently also fought this greenwashing garbage plant proposal.
Don’t Trash The Catskills is a grassroots coalition of concerned citizens opposed to the proposed Hughes Energy project.
Don’t Trash the Catskills
Co-founder, Community activism project,
Roxbury NY, 2021 -2022
This watershed-threatening facility would add significant traffic, noise, air pollution and water infrastructure burdens to our communities and fragile ecosystems by importing unregulated waste from a 50-mile radius.
This would be the first-ever plant of its kind and scale in the United States. As a community we refuse to be the testing ground.
Beyond Plastics
Beyond Plastics PowerPoint on Plastics Pollution
This series of slides emerged from the online Beyond Plastics training led by Executive Director Judith Enck, through Bennington College. and a subsequent speaker training, 2023.
The images break down the importance of stopping plastic production at the source along with ways to eliminate single-use plastic in our everyday lives.