Everything we say and do can make a difference.

While many people are sceptical about environmental issues and think greed is more important than the wider impact their greed is having. Everything we say and do can make a difference. Current human activity on earth is unsustainable. Yet many people
live their lives oblivious to the wider impact their current human activity is having. Being an avid recycler down to having my own wormery to recycle kitchen waste I have recently been introduced to safe etching by BPW new technical manager Jessica Holywood using a less toxic etching solution rather than traditional acid based etching.

Even though I knew that it was more environmentally friendly I was reticent about using it as I knew it would take a while to understand the different results I was getting and how to use it in my creative pratice. Using Chine Colle I’ve recycled other prints that have used acid based etching. While there are other factors are involved you can see the different quality of line it produces.

The work itself follows on from a body of work I am working on while being artists in residence in City East on the peace line at the bottom of the Newtownards Road Short Strand interface. Having worked in this kind of environment for 14 years you become very aware of the lack of connection that many people have with their green spaces and the effect it has on their wellbeing. Being brought up in an area of outstanding natural beauty like Strangford Lough I was always amazed how peaceful and calm it could be during the sailing season in July while in many areas of Belfast rioting and violence was the norm. The challenge has been how to use visual triggers to comment on this phenomenon.

The etchings shown are from a varied edition called “ take me away from all this” produced in July 2010

showing at the BPW gallery green exhibition opening Thursday 5th 7pm until 31 Aug