Event name: Climate Art Workshop
Event time and place: November 13, 2025 at UMD Cambridge Community Center, College Park, MD
This workshop, presented by Savannah Holt and Dyani Frye, was about climate art, which is art inspired by climate change and global warming. There are many different applications for which climate art is useful. For example, it can help with climate awareness and informing the general public of scientific facts through globally understandable images. It can also help share perspectives on how different people and communities are affected by climate change. I found these main points interesting and agreeable because the majority of the general public are aware of the facts of climate change through the media. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. By people putting in the effort to make art to appeal to people while also spreading an important image is a strong form of communication. Not only does it surpass language barriers and expand the audience, it also helps make people appreciate the world around them. I think it would also be great to have more opportunities for people to sit down and paint something they observe in nature. This can help people be more connected to the issue and help spread awareness.
We also learned about the different techniques used, such as using plastic to portray the issue of plastic waste, or adding comedy to help people to attract people's attention to the issue. We also learned more about the office of sustainability at the University of Maryland and the opportunities they provide to get funding for sustainable projects. They also have internship and volunteer opportunities for university students to get involved.
During the workshop, we were able to experience different forms of climate art: poem/magazine book, watercolor, and the climate wheel. In each station, we were able to create whatever we liked related to climate change and the environment. I was personally quite interested in the watercolor station, where we learned that the paints were actually made in a watercolor paint making class at UMD where they source the pigments from efforts to clean the rivers. I found this very interesting and a great way to combine art and climate sustainability and recovery projects. For my art, I painted a frog, as they are species impacted by global warming and changing waters.
Watercolor frog
I personally found the experience very fun and healing. I think it is a great way for students to be involved in spreading awareness of the issue while also destressing. This is a quote that I really liked from the presentation: “The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is-it’s to imagine what is possible.” - Bell Hooks