Topics: Education and Communication, People and Society | Regions: Eastern Washington, Washington, Western Washington | Year: 2021

Climate Resilience Art Collaboration

  • Darcy Widmayer, Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
  • Tess Wrobleski, Climate Impacts Group
  • Claire Sianna Seaman
  • Completed
  • Beverly Naidus, artist mentor
  • Mark Stone, photographer
  • EarthLab, event logistics
  • Population Health, event logistics

To mark our 25th anniversary building climate resilience in the Northwest (2020-2021), the Climate Impacts Group embarked on our first collaborative art project by commissioning artist Claire Sianna Seaman to develop an oil painting on Northwest climate resilience.

This painting, the product of a collaborative effort between Claire, Climate Impacts Group researchers, tribal representatives and an artist mentor, captures the work of researchers and communities to build climate resilience over the last 25 years and envisions a future Northwest that is healthier, more equitable and more resilient to change. From Claire’s painting, we developed an interactive “story map” that combines shots of the painting, text from a written statement from Claire and audio clips from an internal art showcase.

STORY MAP SHOWCASE RECORDING

If you would like to use any of these images, please provide the following attribution language:
This image is from an oil painting by Claire Sianna Seaman, commissioned by the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, envisioning climate resilience in the Northwest. Photos by Mark Stone, University of Washington.

Project Background

This project grew from a desire to acknowledge and communicate the work that the Climate Impacts Group, partners and many others have been doing for the last 25 years to build climate resilience in the Northwest, while also envisioning what a healthy and climate-resilient future in the Northwest could look like.

This collaboration provided the Climate Impacts Group an opportunity to work across the disciplines of science and art to communicate about its work in a new and compelling way.

Approach

The artist collaborator on this project, Claire Sianna Seaman, was selected through a competitive application process that was guided by several local artists who provided feedback on the Request for Qualifications and selection process.

This painting was developed in a collaborative process over the course of nearly six months. Seaman met with Climate Impacts Group staff several times to learn about the work they do, hear their vision of Northwest climate resilience and brainstorm ideas for the art piece.

Claire also met with Beverly Naidus, a local artist mentor, multiple times over the course of the project. Beverly, emeritus faculty at the University of Washington Tacoma, focuses on social and ecological issues in her art and has extensive experience in community-based art and activism. To ensure appropriate tribal representation in this painting, Claire also consulted with multiple tribal members during this project.

Upon completion of the painting, the Climate Impacts Group, in collaboration with EarthLab and the Population Health Initiative, hosted a small, internal showcase to debut the piece. In describing the collaborative process, Claire noted, “This project has been really refreshing,” said Claire. “Working with scientists who really want to figure out how to express different ways of imagining a climate-resilient future in art has been a really incredible experience.” 

Acknowledgements

Professor Iisaaksiichaa Braine, tribal liason, University of Washington
Connie McCloud, Puyallup Tribe
Mary Big Bull-Lewis, Colville Confederated Tribe member
Tami Hohn, assistant teaching professor of American Indian Studies
Mark Stone, UW Photography
UW EarthLab
UW Population Health Initiative

Related Studies and Resources

Request for QualificationsArtist websiteArtist statement