Art in Nature Workshop, Art Lecture, Sustainability Masks, Fundraiser, Paintings for Sale, Upcoming Exhibitions

Dear Art of Sustainability Community,

In the many challenges we face, creativity is at the forefront of helping us understand and develop solutions for a healthier planet. The creativity needed for a sustainable people and planet is an art form, which encourages new methods of thinking.

To this end, I led a series of Art of Sustainability events over two days in April at Mount Holyoke College for students and faculty to explore art, sustainability and spirit. See the link to the full article and additional photos, below. As demonstrated at this and other workshops I have given, people can have fun with sustainability, be creative with it. It is not just about caring for our world, it is not just about food and water, but also about happiness, dance, joy, humor - all of these sustain us. When I think of sustainability, I think of all these things together.

I hope you enjoy this edition of my newsletter! If you like what you see, I encourage you or your school, organization or business to invite me to lead a workshop or give a talk. These can focus on expressive mask making, reconnecting to nature, stilt walking or A Little Farm Story, and much more. For others, I encourage you to consider buying one of my art pieces - paintings and sculptures - or my book, A Little Farm Story.

Warmly,

Jay Mead

Art of Sustainability at Mount Holyoke College

In an effort to expose students to sustainability through art, Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts invited me to campus on April 9th and 10th to lead a workshop on the “Art of Sustainability,” deliver the Miller Worley Environmental Leadership Lecture and facilitate a community art installation entitled “The Spirits of Sustainability.” Read the full article and view lots of photos here.

Also, see more reporting here: Re-imagining Sustainability as Art by Keely Savoie of Mount Holyoke and The Art of Sustainability at Mount Holyoke College, a guest article I wrote for Earth Day Network.

Painting for Sale

Saturated Probe includes three oil on canvas paintings, 72" x 166" large.

Art Program Fundraiser at Sharon Academy

The Sharon Academy in Vermont recently held a fundraiser for its art program that generated over $19,000. I painted and contributed a coat to the auction, which sold for $475. Here our exchange student Fred, from the Masai tribe in Kenya, is modelling the coat. He is the first one from his family of 12 siblings to live outside of his country. See more images of the jacket and Fred here.

Painting for Sale

Relationship is made of acrylic and leaves on paper and is 22" x 22" in size.

Contact me at jaywmead@gmail.com or 1-802-369-9137 to purchase these or other paintings.

Upcoming Exhibitions

Aidron Duckworth Museum
I have an opening at the Aidron Duckworth Museum in Meriden, New Hampshire on Saturday, June 13 from 3-6pm. At 4:30pm, I give the artist's talk. I am creating new works for them at this moment, including the polychromatic "Core Values" which is a meditation on our society's inaction around climate change, as well as "Ground Form." Both employ many painted saplings, which will be installed on the grounds of the Museum through 1 November. Learn more here.

SculptureFest
I will be creating something new for SculptureFest this year, which opens on Labor Day at King Farm in Woodstock, Vermont. I will also probably be showing work in collaboration with an artist collective known as "ECO-visions." Learn more here.