What our learners say

‘Just as in her own art, where she is growing a forest, in her teaching she draws together the disparate roots, branches, leaves, seeds and flowers, leaving a healthy forest to flourish for itself. I am very grateful.’ I took part in the 6-week course on ecoliteracy that Cathy and her colleagues through Haumea organised.

This course, the other participants, the structure and the resources, were all equally measured, equally insightful. Delivered with Cathy’s enthusiasm and positivity, and her sense of inclusion, we were introduced to connected ideas of nature, art and society. The course materials covered the experiential, the geographical, the scientific, and the artistic.

It is easy to recommend Cathy’s own work, and her education. Her knowledge on disparate topics, and her willingness to share this knowledge, are tremendous. Every participant brought something different: writers, artists, philosophers all shared their perspectives as part of the course.

Cathy’s way is to connect the people and the ideas. Just as in her own art, where she is growing a forest, in her teaching she draws together the disparate roots, branches, leaves, seeds and flowers, leaving a healthy forest to flourish for itself. I am very grateful.

July 15, 2020

Ecoliteracy is a knowledge form I sought before I knew it had a name. Cathy’s mentoring gave me a framework to slot my thinking into and join up the dots I have been working to uncover through my art work over the past decade. Her generous and care-full approach to one-to-one mentoring came at a crucial time for me thinking about the use of plants in my work and helped me understand the wider concerns surrounding my research. Cathy helped me see that there is a greater international network of thinkers past, present and future that I can tap into.

In the months after our mentoring session, I felt a definite shift into a new awareness and a passing of a significant threshold since thinking more consciously about ecological practice; which once passed, you can’t go back from. That ecoliteracy has a name and is a process that can be worked on (over a lifetime) is incredibly enabling. I thank Cathy deeply for her support and engagement with my work.

It was a privilege to participate the Cathy’s Earth Charter course. I was so impressed by the breadth of her approach incorporating spiritual, moral and practical guidance on the Earth Charter. Also I was moved by its relation to me as a human, an artist and a part of a World community. She and Nikos were inspiring and provided me with a huge injection of new knowledge. I will continue to pursue the path of the ecosocial path that I find my practice on but with now a framework of the Earth Charter and an awareness of other practitioners who are similarly engaged.

‘Many thanks for your very informative talk today with our artists on ‘why ecoliteracy is important for the cultural sector and for creative practice’– delivered so professionally, calmly and clearly. I really do appreciate you giving us your time and expertise.’ –

Cathy and Nikos – I am in awe of how you are so positively and impactfully moving the whole concept of ecoliteracy forward. I found your Essential Ecoliteracy course fantastic. It had a deep impact on my work as a visual artist. The resource materials provided are far superior to those of many heavily funded academic post grad courses I have completed. Thank you!

“The ‘Creativity as an Act of Love’ course with Nikos Patedakis shares similar challenges, joy, intimacy and honesty to the Haumea Ecoliteracy course. 

It also helped me reframe my own philosophy, not only in facing the Ecologic and biodiversity challenges ahead but with deeper explorations into compassion, dangerous philosophies and a range of practical tools.
Nikos’ depth of knowledge, patience and humour has created another valuable path for exploration. Its a path that offers a lifetime of discovery yet with immediate and measurable benefits.’

Cathy is an inspirational teacher, artist and friend who has enriched my understanding of ecocide and climate chaos immeasurably.

I was embarking on a composition project and knew that I wanted to connect my music and creativity with an eco-practice but had no tools or deeper understanding other than my flailing sense of impotence in the face of climate chaos. Cathy guided me through resources, philosophers, activists, books and videos with a light and generous touch. I came to understand the importance of joining with others, of finding ways to express grief, of finding the courage to keep speaking truth to power and understanding the importance of every tiny action we make.My project is now ongoing with support from the Irish Arts Council.

Cathy, you have my deep gratitude and my admiration for your knowledge and your dedication.

I am quite amazed at how much I loved the Haumea course. I didn’t believe that an online course could have such an impact on my life and art. I felt like I landed in ‘my tribe’…ecosocial artists engaging with creativity and climate action with compassion, kindness and commitment. I loved the weekly sessions and looked forward to going through the amazing material Cathy sent us every week. I was so impressed at how she and Nikos engaged and gave feedback.

I am so impressed with Cathy’s integrity, focus and commitment to this amazing planet, with which we live. I walk the land where we live with a renewed sense of purpose. I have just finished the course and miss it.

I feel that Cathy and Nikos walk the talk and have so much to share. I am very grateful for the experience.

04/03/2021

The course opened up my practice to the huge potentials that exist outside the confining definitions of art world art practices. It gave me language and understanding of how to define what work I’d like to do through my practice. It gave me a concise network of information that would have taken me years to amass myself. When I realised that my ‘living life’ is really my art practice.. how to live well in these times and to share this. This thought has allowed me to totally reframe what I hope to do.

I would like to thank you Cathy for the course. I think this kind of education, all you delivered–was so comprehensive and so good–I feel like I have been studying for two years! It is worth spreading and could be a part of a study program at a university 🙂 You inspired me to develop my activity as an ecosocial art practitioner.