Green message
Wonderful art piece has green message
A stunning piece of community artwork is on display in Blairgowrie Library as part of efforts to highlight the importance of trees in the fight against the declared climate emergency.
The four metre-long wall-hanging has been created by volunteers with the Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Climate Cafe in the run-up to the COP26 summit due to be held in Glasgow later this year.
COP26 is the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference and will take place from November 1 to 12.
The summit will bring together delegates from across the world and aims to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The event was initially due to take place last autumn but was postponed due to restrictions imposed as part of efforts to tackle the global coronavirus pandemic.
Volunteers from the Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Climate Cafe are leading efforts to raise the profile of the event locally in a number of ways, one of which is by creating the art installation.
Kay Seal from the Climate Cafe explained: “We were keen to do something in east Perthshire to mark COP26, particularly since it is being held here in Scotland, and the issues that will be discussed at the summit.
“A group of us – myself, Tracie Dick from Nest Creative Spaces, Val Kydd from the Yarn Stormers in Coupar Angus, artist Aileen Stackhouse and Louise Tanner – put our heads together and came up with the idea of a wall-hanging.
“We decided to highlight the value of trees and ecology, particularly since Perthshire is Big Tree Country, and how much we depend on what trees do for us.
“Around 40 people answered our call to knit, crochet or felt leaves in all shades of green and brown, representing all four seasons, as well as fruit, berries, flowers, acorns, and wildlife, which we have placed on the wall-hanging.”
She went on: “We would like to say a huge thanks to all the lovely people who contributed to our piece of craftivism, people have been really clever and creative.
“Thanks to Louise for sending out the progress updates, and to Tracie, Gill, Aileen, Kelly and Ashleigh at Nest Creative Spaces for their unfailing encouragement and for giving us space to assemble the trees.
“We received such an abundance of leaves that we have several left over and we will use those to make an applique cushion cover which will be given away.”
Kay said that the Climate Cafe had submitted an application to have the wall-hanging displayed in Glasgow during COP26 but had not been successful.
Undeterred, she said: “Our project was one of around 4000 to apply and was up against some pretty stuff creative competition. We still plan to display the wall-hanging locally and around Perthshire in the run-up to COP26 and are extremely grateful to Craig, Marie and Jade at Blairgowrie Library for exhibiting the trees on their first outing.”
Senior library assistant at Blairgowrie Library, Craig Dennis, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to display this wall-hanging, and it ties in brilliantly with the summer reading challenge displays and themes this year.”
Kay added: “It is great for young people using the library to see how much wildlife and fauna is connected to trees.
“We are very fortunate that we live in an area which is part of Big Tree Country and to be surrounded by so many beautiful plants and wildlife, but as recent developments both locally as well as nationally and internationally show, we should never take that for granted.
“The issues that are being discussed at COP26 are so important and affect us all.
“It also gives us an opportunity to build greener, more sustainable economies after the devastating effects of coronavirus.
“The pandemic has shown us that a global problem needs global collaboration.
“And this is just as true for the climate crisis, which hasn’t gone anywhere.”
For further information on COP26 or how to get involved with the local Climate Cafe, contact Kay by sending an email to info@climatecafeblair.org.uk.