Warming Stripes Influences my Process.

Warming Stripes by Prof Ed Hawkins Influences by work on depicting biodiversity loss in Clare

As an environmental artist, I was fortunate to connect with Professor Ed Hawkins of the University of Reading and study his groundbreaking work on depicting rising temperatures. Hawkins’ visual climate data, particularly his iconic "Warming Stripes," has been instrumental in making the abstract concept of global temperature rise both accessible and urgent. His charts and teachings were a cornerstone of inspiration for my recent exhibition, Change of Climate, showcased at Glór (April 2024)

The works in this exhibition were driven by the undeniable evidence of rising temperatures caused by human activity and their cascading effects on biodiversity loss. Hawkins’ visualizations provided a macro perspective on climate change, presenting complex scientific data in a way that could resonate with people on an emotional and intellectual level. Inspired by this, I delved into both the broader scientific data I accessed through Reading University and The National Biodiversity Data Centre in Ireland, as well as my own localized observations relating to losses in Biodiversity. Interestingly, It was the decline in butterflies and dragonflies in my rural garden in Co Clare that initially sparked my interest in biodiversity loss and its relationship with rising temperatures

At a micro level, I began a four-year documentation project focused on my local lake. I carefully tracked rising temperatures and visually logged bird and insect populations over this time, sharing my data with the The Biodiversity Data Centre. The changes I observed were stark. Even in such a short period, there was a noticeable decline in specific species, underscoring the tangible effects of climate change on biodiversity in my immediate environment. This personal engagement with the data was transformative; it brought the reality of climate change to life in a visceral and deeply personal way, shaping my creative process profoundly.

In response, I created a body of work that combined photography of local wildlife with graphic overlays, such as barcodes that represented species-specific data provided by The National Biodiversity Data Centre. My goal was to present the data in a captivating and emotionally compelling manner—just as Ed Hawkins did with his visualizations of rising global temperatures. His approach to transforming raw data into artful, impactful visuals helped me understand and communicate climate change more effectively than any other scientific research I’ve encountered.

In fact, Reading University granted me permission to incorporate Hawkins’ Ireland-specific climate data into my exhibition. This inclusion became a central point of engagement, drawing viewers in like magnets. Visitors lingered, discussed, and debated the implications of the data, sparking meaningful conversations about the intersection of art, science, and the environment.

For three weeks, I facilitated climate workshops at Glór with various community groups, where we explored both the data and the creative processes behind the artwork. It was an incredible experience to witness how Hawkins’ visual data not only influenced my work but also empowered others to engage with the reality of climate change and biodiversity loss in a more personal way. His ability to translate the complexities of science into striking, digestible imagery has been the greatest influence on my understanding of climate change, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to bring this inspiration into my practice and share it with others.

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