high water world

Climate change, global heating and rising sea levels. We all know the story, but what are we doing about it? Especially, our leaders and governments. It all seems ‘business as usual’, the capitalist model is still king.

Habit change on a global scale is just not happening fast enough. Many of us seem to accept that there is a ‘big’ environmental problem creeping up on us – but is it for tomorrow’s problem to be solved? Are we too stressed and overwhelmed by day-to-day living and just surviving a world that seems inordinately complicated – therefore, trying to care about our collective home, the blue planet, is it too much of a head fuck?

These are just a tiny fraction of the questions we face in the dilemma that is facing us as the dominant species on a small planet related to climate change, global heating and rising sea levels.

With that narrative and questions in mind, I embarked on a painting project that will hopefully stimulate thoughts on the issues I have raised. I’m not going to see or feel the devastating effects of climate change, but our children and grandchildren are going to experience the ‘full frontal’ of the coming storm. That’s for sure if we don’t speed up habit change and reform the dominant global capitalist model that delivers eyewatering wealth to a tiny minority. Surely, the good behavioural traits of humankind, regardless of tribal affiliations, as shared by all humans, will prevail – it’s human nature after all, isn’t it?

Art in general, in all its wonderful disciplines, is like a mirror to our thoughts, anxieties, misunderstandings, hopes, desires, dreams, and when we are at our best, ‘human nature’ is the wonder of life itself, exuding empathy, compassion and love. Let’s hope that much more of that good human nature kicks in rapidly and starts to turn the tide on climate change, global heating and rising sea levels.