I invited Cathy to provide a guest lecture for 3rd year architecture students at the Cork Centre of Architectural Education, Univ. College Cork in Nov 2019. She provided a comprehensive, engaging presentation on the anthropocene and newer concepts such as the symbiocene and solastalgia. These frameworks introduced the students to thinking about man’s impact on the environment in a way that encouraged the students to include an awareness of these frameworks in their thinking on the ecosystem emergency. Best of all, she was able to present this complex material simply – through her extensive ecological art practice on new-to-Ireland continuous cover forestry. I would happily recommend Cathy as a professional lecturer who has insightful perspectives about the urgent ecosocial challenges of our times.
Published by Cathy Fitzgerald PhD | eco-social artist | educator | researcher
I explore new ideas and practices for eco-social well being by bringing art and non-art practices together in my creative practice. I also offer Ecoliteracy learning, workshops, mentoring, writing and policy developments for the arts at www.haumea.site _____________________________ Through my practice and an art practice-theory PhD "The Ecological Turn", I have developed a guiding theory-method framework to articulate the context and workings of long-term eco-social art practices. These vital practices activate ecoliteracy and agency for environmental change in communities. Much of my PhD drew on my experiences and challenges, and the review of others' pioneering creative practices' that are responding to ecological concerns. My own transversal practice reflects on the transformation of the small conifer plantation that I live with, Hollywood forest, toward new-to-Ireland, Close-to-Nature forestry. I bring previous experience in biological science research and interests in environmental philosophy, policy development and ecocide-Rights of Nature law developments into the mix. _____________________________ Somehow an eco-social art practice allows me to connect and move across these various strands of interest to create a new agency for myself and the human and non-human neighbours I depend on and live with. _____________________________ Hollywood forest is the smallest Close-to-Nature forest in Ireland; its growing happily near Mt Leinster and the Blackstairs mountains in South East Ireland. View all posts by Cathy Fitzgerald PhD | eco-social artist | educator | researcher