The Art of Walking with the Animate Earth: A Heuristic Inquiry

This thesis is a qualitative, phenomenological, arts and nature-based study of living as an artist amid a social and ecological emergency. By taking up a method of heuristic inquiry, which utilizes personal knowledge and experience as a foundation for exploring phenomena, this research was organized as a journey around the lunar and seasonal cycles of one year. My research focused on the cultivation of ecological perception and questions of how my art practice might become more ecological and, in turn, contribute to the transformation necessary to address the social and ecological crisis. Data was gathered from reflective writing and art-making and analyzed according to the five criteria for Creative Analytical Practice (CAP). While definitive answers were not the objective of the study, the research revealed creativity and imagination as inherent qualities of life and art-making as an act of cultural reflection and a means to remain connected and responsive to the complex, living web of life, death, and human/nature entanglement.

Author dc:creator

• Bowlby, Angela

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Leighton, Hilary

• School of environment and sustainability

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-19749

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/28125