WETLAND STORIES
The Project
The Book
PROJECT EVOLUTION
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Marie's artistic practice has always been rooted in environmental advocacy, and the development of the Wetland Stories Project was a natural extension of this commitment. After moving to the Peel region during the pandemic, she found solace in walks along the estuary, where the local birdlife and calming influence of nature provided a much-needed reprieve from the disruption of the times.
Having grown up birdwatching and encouraged to have an inquisitive mind about the natural world, she wanted to explore the influence interaction with their wetland surroundings had on local residents. She approached the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council and City of Mandurah's environmental and community engagement officers with her idea.
Attending the 2021 Australian Association for Environmental Educators enabled her to further refine her concepts. Her interactive art stall at the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council's Wonders of our Wetlands Mini Festival facilitated direct engagement with the public. Visitors experimented with sun-dying techniques using leaves on fabric, while discussions and surveys enabled Marie to gather information about their activities, preference, and awareness of environmental issues affecting the wetlands. These responses laid the foundation for future interviews conducted in 2022, gathering locals' accounts of awe-inspiring wetland moments they'd experienced.
At the start of 2022, Marie began a three-month-long artist residency at Contemporary Art Spaces Mandurah, where she experiment with techniques to bring her ideas to life. She continued to establish further connections with members of the many active environment and conservation groups in the region.
Once the exhibition concept was well developed, Marie invited two contemporary local artists to collaborate in creating an immersive, dynamic, interactive exhibition that uniquely combined art, culture, education and science.
As the number of stories grew, Marie felt a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility for the trust placed in her. Each individual's story was like a pearl on a necklace - unique, special, and commemorating a moment in time. Creating artwork inspired by these stories felt meaningful, but she realised that it wasn't enough. These stories needed to be published to serve as a lasting legacy for the community.
Thus, The Wetland Stories: Personal Accounts of the Peel-Harvey Ecosystem was born. The Peel-harvey Catchment Council was incredibly supportive of the whole project, and with their backing, the book was published, ensuring these poignant narratives would be preserved for future generations. Copies of the book were
presented to the City of Mandurah for their library and museum collections.
This project is proudly supported by Peel-Harvey Catchment Council.
Postcards to the Future Workshops is proud to be part of the Mandurah Arts Festival 2023.