With virtual Earth Day Campaign, Vancouver eco-artist encourages planet-loving actions
Amanda Suutari sees art as a powerful tool in #EarthDaySeedingChange2021
Amanda Sutaari, Frog at Night, acrylic and collage on canvas.
DESPITE OUR CURRENT reality of isolation and distancing, people can collectively make a difference for the planet, according to the organizers behind #EarthDaySeedingChange 2021.
Launching April 1, the virtual campaign is headed by Vancouver eco-artist Amanda Suutari in partnership with Fresh Roots and Kiwassa Neighbourhood House.
The social media effort encourages Lower Mainland residents to post photos to an online gallery of them taking creative actions to care for the Earth. Examples include picking up plastic from a beach or forest; planting pollinator wildflowers on your lawn or roadside; collecting coffee grounds from your local cafe to add to your compost; or fixing an old garment to extend its life.
Photos can be posted between April 1 and Earth Day (April 22) on the campaign Facebook page or Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #EarthDaySeedingChange2021 to enter for prizes.
Prizes include Suutari’s sustainably-printed nature-inspired art prints, journals, and postcards as well as green-leaning goodies from local businesses. (She describes Hemlock Printers as one of the most progressive and sustainable print providers in North America.)
Amanda Suutari, Breathe, acrylic and collage on canvas.
Suutari attended Etobicoke School of the Arts and has studied painting and Japanese calligraphy in Kyoto and comic book illustration in Vancouver. She believes in the power of art and stories to activate and unite people—and to replenish and nurture ecosystems.
“Each posted image tells a story, and a whole gallery of posted images takes on a life of its own,” Suutari says. “I hope this gallery becomes a visual resource bank of ideas for new ways we can regenerate and heal the planet.”
Fresh Roots cultivates gardens and programs that give youth the skills and will to grow and share healthy food by using educational farms as pathways to youth empowerment and employment. All of the food it produces is sold into the school community—cafeterias, food-access programs, markets, and neighbours.
Kiwassa Neighbourhood House works in responds to community needs in East Vancouver through a range of free or low-cost social services and programs for children, youth, adults, seniors and families.
The goal is for individual actions to create a cumulative impact.
"We hope that the simple act of sharing images of positive actions of community members young and old will inspire and amplify the idea of reciprocity between humans and the natural world," says Fresh Roots’ communications and engagement manager Caroline Manuel.
For more information, see here.
Amanda Suutari, Eye Pods, acrylic and collage on canvas.
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