Art and the Green New Deal
Art and the Green New Deal
This fall, we invited the Sierra Club community to share their art and creativity with us to help us collectively grapple with the climate crisis and imagine a future with a Green New Deal.
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We were blown away by the response. After receiving over 150 submissions of everything from paintings to posters, sculptures to screenplays, songs and dances, we have selected and curated a selection of pieces for you here. We selected pieces that encompassed the themes laid out in the Green New Deal, held stories we wanted to uplift, and that we felt would contribute to the broader movement by galvanizing the hearts and minds of folks like you. We asked creatives to submit pieces that followed the guiding themes of this project: tackling the climate crisis and toxic pollution, economic justice, 100% clean and renewable energy sources, our nation’s infrastructure, and fighting racial, economic, and gender inequity.
Over the course of seven days, we curated a social media showcase of selected pieces. Below, you can see our selected pieces in the order that they were presented on Sierra Club’s social media accounts.
Day 1: Art & The Green New Deal: setting the stage for a week of creative activist content ("Artivism")
Moving Towards a Green New Deal. Gaile Payne, Centerpoint, NY
"This illustration represents people of all ages treading lightly on the planet."
It’s Time for the Green New Deal. Clare Rickard, Alameda, CA
"It's Time for the Green New Deal" is inspired by the WPA posters."
Tiger. Suzi Spooner, Seattle, WA
"I want to encourage the viewer to stop and pay attention to our world and all the beautiful, precious things that reside in it. Because when you love something you will act to protect it."
Your Mother Called. Michele-Kaplan, New York, NY
"The earth is our mother, thus look at how we are treating her."
Day 2: People and the Environmental: coming to terms with our current society's destructive relationship with nature and steps to creating a new one
Destiny Manifested. Laura Fogg, Ukiah, CA
“This quilt depicts very beautiful abstract scenes that I shot from an airplane. Only after I started making the quilt did I realize that they were all scenes of man-made environmental destruction."
Flash Flood. Abbie Lehman, Platteville, WI
"In my song, Flash Flood, I wanted to convey the loss and despair felt by residents and farmers in my area due to erratic weather, particularly devastating flooding." Watch the video.
What the Frack?! Brandi Merolla, Narrowsburg, NY
"I illustrated all the dangers of fracking by posing vintage figurines in photographs."
Global Warming Coming 2 A Home Near You. Susan Schmidt, Oklahoma City, OK
"I believe the Green New Deal is a way we can seriously and comprehensively address the challenges of modern life across the planet."
Day 3: Intergenerational Justice: young people are tasked with fighting a crisis they didn't help create
Bodega Boyz. Oscar Morel, Bronx, NY
“The piece outlines how to find the balance in maneuvering through the hectic landscape of an underfunded neighborhood while embracing the culture that molded me."
Spring Cleaning. Claire Simpson, Centennial, CO
“‘Spring Cleaning’ comments on the lack of concern many adults have for the future of our children."
A Sun Shines for All. Aria Luna Parra Rasine, Sunnyvale, CA
"I would like to see a world where a person is able to do what they love, earn enough to live a happy life with their family, and don't get sick because of chemicals or danger on the job."
Day 4: Energy Solutions: decarbonizing the US economy and creating "good," green jobs in livable communities
Wind Turbines. Jamie Devol, Winchester, MA
“The color pencil illustrations depict clean jobs in the Midwest: a farmer proudly showing wind turbines in amber waves of grain."
Pipeline. Ted Casterline, Brooklyn, NY
"While I choose to draw wind turbines and pipelines because they are beautiful as objects I cannot deny that part of my intent is to discourage cynicism about the possibilities of sustainable energy."
The 'Powers' poster series. Palolo Cockriel, Costa Mesa, CA
"In this design, I wanted to explore a completely different visual direction for the GND and focus on the information, using a typographic-centered approach to share the urgency in which we need to act."
Plains Power. Susan Solomon, Saint Paul, MN
"I believe the Green New Deal is a way we can seriously and comprehensively address the challenges of modern life across the planet."
Day 5: Interconnectedness of All Life: the ecological and spiritual significance of the natural world
Racing with Herds. Jo Gershman, Seattle, WA
“This image comes from ‘Every Living Thing,’ an unpublished picture book that encourages a young child’s first awareness of our environment and their connection to the wondrous world around us."
The Eyes of the Universe. Ramona Mayer, Sarasota, FL
"The eyes of the universe are in the eyes of the galaxy, in the eyes of the disappearing bird life, in the eyes of the disappearing marine life, in the eyes of the disappearing insect life, in the eyes of and the eventual disappearance of all things wild."
Planning a Forest. Cheryle Gannaway, Prior Lake, MN
"I studied as a scientist and have always been fascinated with the repeating memes of the universe- how the solar system is the same shape as a cell, which is the same shape as an atom. It's awe-inspiring. As an artist, I blend the science of life with the art of life."
Field of Friends. Elizabeth Hepola Roth, Safety Harbor, FL
"Sunflowers have many connotations in art. To me I see hope. Sunflowers epitomize nature's ability to heal by pulling heavy metals and toxins (including nuclear waste) out of the soil."
Raquel Coyote Karno Pala, CA
"With the Green New Deal a more beautiful and abundant tomorrow is our hands."
Day 6: Reused Materials & Eco-Art: creative incorporation of natural, recycled materials and zero waste
Cyclopedia of Law and Procedure. Margaret Whiting, Waterloo, IA
“[In this piece] All the pages of the book were ripped out and crumpled, re-flattened and arranged into stacks which were then rolled and bound into a cylindrical form – a hay bale."
Dumpster Planet. Helen Lozoraitis, Wareham, MA
"Dumpster Planet was created from photos of rusty blue dumpsters that were in my neighborhood for months. It began as a statement on environmental destruction, but by the time it was finished, some of the ‘planets’ looked almost beautiful and the piece felt much more hopeful."
Trashy Nuts/Trashy Parade Art. Ruth Bowman, Baton Rouge, LA
"In response to the huge amount of plastic beads & other trash Mardi Gras parades produce, we created an environmentally friendly krewe."
Fall. Willow Stevenson, Mars Hill, NC
"I was inspired to create the Seasons print series using natural materials like leaves and natural dyes such as walnut and berry inks."
The Wrapping Project. Emily Ching, Seattle, WA
"By re-thinking the wrapper, we can create a waste free, more meaningful wrapping experience. A collection of reusable products made from sustainable materials designed in harmony with nature."
The Gold in our Hearts. Renae Barnard, Santa Monica, CA
"My paintings are made from recycled materials from the furniture manufacturing industry. These include items such as foam and fabric scrap, all of which allow me to create the intricate and textured foundations upon which I paint."
Day 7: Our Social Movements: people-powered movements help us achieve bold visions of the future
High Speed Rail. Jamie Friend, Hollywood, FL
“This poster was made as part of a series of posters on the Green New Deal for the Miami Democratic Debates and were used again for the Global Climate Strikes."
Seattle Green New Deal. The People's Echo, Seattle, WA
"We are a Seattle based collective of social justice/climate activists and singer-songwriters. Our goal is to create songs that can be sung by all, in moments in which we wish had a song to sing." Watch the video.
Climate, Jobs, Justice, Mother. ARRT, Brunswick, ME
"Our ARRT! group has been meeting for almost 8 years, we creative positive social change in Maine through Issue-oriented banners."
Together We Stand. Laura Fogg, Ukiah, CA
"I hope women across the country will stand up and vote down any future candidates who ignore, demean or vilify us."
Stop Denying the Evidence. Susan Schmidt, Oklahoma City, OK.
"I believe the Green New Deal is a way we can seriously and comprehensively address the challenges of modern life across the planet."
If you want to read more about our Art and the Green New Deal project, you can check out the following pieces: