I was delighted recently to be contacted by visual artist NavineDossos who works between the UK and Athens and who lives in Greece. Navine had heard of my Haumea Ecoversity ecoliteracy training for professional creatives in Glenn Albrecht’s book Earth Emotions: New Words for a New World (2019), and wondered if I could offer her some online mentoring sessions.
Navine contacted me as she has undertaken an exciting and important commission for the Irish Museum of Modern Art which has an important ecological perspective. I’m sharing this information as there is an invitation to those interested in joining Navine’s workshops at IMMA in July 2022 – I’m going to attend one of the workshops myself and I’m very excited to be part of seeing this work develop:
‘IMMA has invited the artist Navine G. Dossos to realise an ambitious new commission for IMMA’s iconic courtyard which aims to address the issue of new psychological states that have emerged in response to a greater awareness of global and local climate change. Inspired by the books Earth Emotions (2019) by Glenn Albrecht and Thought Forms (1901) by Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater, the resulting artwork Kind Words Can Never Die will address how images can be made of these emerging feelings that can be both negative and positive responses to ecological change.
Part of this project will be realised through studio-based workshops where Dossos will introduce her own practice as an artist, and her ideas for this site-specific commission. Workshop participants will then spend the morning using paint and paper to connect words and colours through an open associative process – first making these explorations individually, and then together as a single group. The afternoon will explore the addition of colours to a series of diagrams and graphs chosen about climate change, adding an emotional reading to scientific data-driven visualisations of the environment.’
IMMA website, 2022
These workshop contributions will be gathered and studied by the artist and every week Dossos will use the findings to inform the wall paintings for the IMMA Colonnades, creating a collective response to the themes addressed in the workshops.
IMMA welcomes anyone who would like to contribute to a workshop to email us at residency.resources@imma.ie with a brief expression of interest to participate. Find out more details on this page.+
A skilled visual artist, and fluent in sacred art practices, it was a pleasure to gain insight into Navine’s creative practice, and her sociopolitical and growing ecological concerns. Mentoring is always a mutually enriching process and we also had input from her partner, writer James Bridle who will also be offering a keynote talk ‘Ways of Being: Animals, Plants, Machines: the search for planetary intelligence‘ (the title of his most recent book) at IMMA on Thurs 14 July (if you are interested in writing, James will also be part of IMMA’s Outdoor Seed STUDIO Reading series on Friday 08 July, from 7 – 8 pm, hosted by Clodagh Emoe).
More about the Haumea Ecoversity
Hello! Kia Ora! Dia daoibh!
I’m Cathy Fitzgerald, an ecological artist, educator, and founder of Haumea Ecoversity. Originally from Aotearoa New Zealand, I’ve lived in rural Ireland, the home of my ancestors, for over 30 years. Together with my philosopher colleague Dr Nikos Patedakis (USA), we’ve guided over 400 creative professionals worldwide in transformative ecoliteracy training since 2019.
Haumea Ecoversity Community Membership is the next chapter of this work—a vibrant space for lifelong learning, collective wisdom, and creative transformation for a more beautiful, just, and life-sustaining world.
Dr Cathy Fitzgerald
“In these times of great challenge, I’m passionate about bringing ecoliteracy—including new ecological thinking, values, language, and head-heart-body practices—to creative, sustainability and cultural sectors. These areas have a crucial leadership role: they can inspire communities to embrace new values and actions for living well on Earth, together with all life.”
About Cathy
- Ecological Artist: Creator of the ongoing Hollywood Forest Story with new-to-Ireland continuous cover forestry (begun 2008).
- Educator & Advisor: Accredited ESD Earth Charter educator, Creative Drummin Carlow Bog project ecoliteracy advisor.
- Researcher & Mentor: Specialist in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at Haumea Ecoversity.com
In 2022, I was honoured to be nominated by Earth Charter International and UNESCO Chair for ESD as Earth Charter Focal Point Communicator for Ireland
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