“Paradise Lost?” project

North Temperate Lakes initial LTEArts program was entitled “Paradise Lost? Artists on Climate Change in the Northwoods,” and was held in 2007 and 2008 with private foundation support.  This project began when 20 painters, sculptors, poets and musicians; six educators; seven scientists—a climatologist, soil scientist, limnologist, bog ecologist, forest ecologist and geographer— and an Ojibwe elder came together over three days in spring 2006 to talk about the nature of climate change and to consider how artistic approaches might interest the public in examining its effects close to home. The artists produced a set of paintings and other visual pieces that were displayed in galleries in cities in several states.  Artists and scientists shared their perspectives with the public at openings for these gallery exhibits with the hope that the visual ideas, poems, and artistic pieces will prompt visitors to explore climate change issues on their own. For more on Paradise Lost see: http://www.biology.wisc.edu/FamiliesPublic-ScientificActivities-ParadiseLostExhibition.htm