4th Annual Environmental Art Exhibition Seeks to Provoke, Educate, and Motivate Action

The PEG Center for Art and Activism, has launched its fourth annual environmental show called "Sea Change: Transforming our Eco-Future." The art exhibition explores climate impacts and charts a course to address challenges at home and across the world, building on last year's "A River Runs Through Us" segment that focused on connection to nature and the vitality of the Merrimack River.

The public is invited to a free reception where the artists will be on hand to share insights into their work.

Artists participating in "Sea Change" include: Lisa Barthelson, Gail Bos, Patricia Fietta, Beth Galston, Margery Hamlen, Bonnie Lake, Vicki Mckenna, Erin Starr, Jessica Straus, and Jessica Tawczynski.

According to Paula Estey, Executive Director at the PEG Center, the title "Sea Change" means "a substantial change in perspective, especially one that affects a group or society, on a particular issue." She explains: "The show highlights extraordinary artists, whose works emotionally engage the viewer and force us to contemplate the preciousness of the environment on which we all depend. Climate is universal. Climate crisis unites us as global citizens because we all experience its effects. Environmental art is essential in activism because it leads our hearts toward radical change."

This exhibition has eco-art as varied as its creators. Some artists honor nature's fragility and beauty, while others come knocking hard with sorrow, fear and anger at the state of our Earth's health.

The art ranges from Beth Galston's large, site-specific installation of laser-cut felt leaves, to Jessica Straus' visions of a post-apocalyptic world filled with longing. There is a spinning wheel with possible outcomes, brilliant photography, as well as whimsical pieces created from reclaimed garbage. Erin Starr's paintings explore climate change with accompanying QR codes that urge viewers to learn more about these crucial issues. Margery Hamlen's series of prints entitled "Against Sorrow" are moody images that evoke care, sorrow and great love. Lisa Barthelson's family debris sculptures are full of meaning—and humor—and are meant to evoke a response to the sheer quantity of detritus a family can produce.

"We all despair over climate change and we all try to change our daily habits," said Estey. "One plastic toy… A family's worth of plastic toys… An earth's worth… And you begin to see the magnitude, the cost and the grief of our impact on the environment. It is high time for a sea change in personal responsibility for our daily actions."

The PEG Center and local collaborators will be hosting events over the next 3 months to help our community take action to reduce plastics consumption. There will be a screening of the film "We Are All Plastic People Now" in collaboration with The Screening Room, including a panel discussion with Andrea LaCroix, an active member of "Beyond Plastics" out of Bennington College. Stay tuned for the full schedule of programming and learn how you can get involved.

Part of the funding for this program is provided by the City of Newburyport Resiliency Committee and a grant from the Massachusetts' Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant.