Inspired by our work with the Urban Tree Festival this year, sharing Acts of Tree Kindness, we are supporting communities to notice, celebrate and look after trees in their local area.

How well do you know the trees on your street or in your local park? Together we can develop creative ways to engage with and record them, using our senses to explore their texture, shape, pattern and colour.

We don’t have to be experts at identifying trees to appreciate them, our own senses and visual arts processes can provide us with ways of developing a greater awareness of local biodiversity, and its value for humans and non-humans alike.

In the first of these two one-hour-long workshops, Artists James Aldridge and Beckie Leach McDonald will share some of their own experiences of using art to get to know individual trees, and demonstrate practical ideas for you to take away and try out. In the second session you will have a chance to share your own creative investigations of trees. What did you try? How did your actions affect the way you experienced the tree(s)? What would you like to try next?

Both sessions will be tailored to the needs and age of your group and combine hands-on making with individual reflection and group discussion, in a safe, supportive environment.

For a taste of what we might get up to have a look at this blogpost on the CMUK website: https://climatemuseumuk.org/2020/05/16/acts-of-tree-kindness-creative-noticing/

This course is for adults (16+) who live, work or study in the London Borough of Lewisham. If you are interested in this workshop but do not meet this criteria please contact us, if there is enough demand we will organise more sessions.

This workshop comprises two separate one-hour sessions running on Thursday 4 February 2021from 5-6pm & Thursday 11 February 2021 from 5-6pm

This workshop is facilitated by Climate Museum UK member's James Aldridge and Beckie Leach McDonald. This workshop is a part of Climate Museum UK's Creative Climate Workshops for London Borough of Lewisham residents, supported by Lewisham Local through Lewisham Launchpad funding.

About the facilitators:

James Aldridge is a visual artist and consultant based in Wiltshire, working with people and places. The individual and participatory sides of my practice each feed into and inform the other. Together they generate a body of practice-led research into the value of artful, embodied and situated (place-based) learning, and their benefits for individual, community and ecological wellbeing.

James has carried out residencies and commissions for range of arts, heritage and environmental organisations, and curated exhibitions including The Art of Outdoor Learning at MK Gallery and Making Memories (Art and Outdoor Learning in the Early Years) at Salisbury Art Centre.

Beckie Leach McDonald is an ecological artist and storyteller, as well as a creative learning and deep listening facilitator. They have two years experience working with Tate Learning and Tate Exchange, and 8 years experience working for the University of the Arts London as a Lecturer and Programme Co-ordinator. Beckie specialises in tracking old stories, myths and fairy tales about human & more-than-human entanglements, that reignite our relationship to place and the wild, and breathing new life into them. They are passionate about collaboration, working with communities and developing ecologically engaged practice. Beckie is a Co-director of Climate Museum UK.