#flightpathcommunityproject was instigated by an wonderful artist based in the UK called Louisa Crispin. The project focused on wildlife corridors and the importance of a network of routes between habitats to ensure diversity, the work aims to resolve the tension between abstraction and figuration while encouraging open discussion.
My contribution to 'The Flight Path' project focused on a small section of semi-natural grassland which represents a #pollinationpathway observed during a very warm spell in late June last summer. Over a period of three weeks, I came across several meadow browns, ringlets, small and large cabbage butterflies, several small moths, six spotted burnet moths, carder bees, bumblebees and other ‘non-bee pollinators’ mainly flower flies. Last summer I noticed a great decline in our peacock butterfly population but a rise in the number of white butterflies.
My folded paper strip with Louisa's graphite marks gave me a space to express the growth and life I saw unfolding within this tiny area of meadow landscape over a few weeks in summer. I used monoprinting, watercolour and pencil sketching, focusing my attention on the colours, shapes, textures and patterns of the plants and insect pollinators living in a field in Leitrim at a time when our own moments were restricted.
The flightpathcommunityproject exhibition took place at the Kaleidoscope Gallery in Sevenoaks, Kent last November. This project was one of community connection, creativity & ecological education at a time of great uncertainty due to the global pandemic, raising awareness of not only the plight of our native insects, but also of their habitats, lifecycle and role within our ecosystem; and the fact that without them we have no future.
www.louisacrispinart.co.uk/more/community-project-flightpath