Recent UMaine grad’s art depicting climate change focus of BDN feature
The Bangor Daily News published a feature article on Jill Pelto of Old Town and her artwork that illustrates the effects of climate change. Pelto, who graduated in December from the University of Maine as a double major in studio art and Earth science, has been visiting the North Cascade Glaciers of Washington State with her glaciologist father since she was 16 years old, according to the article. The artist and scientist recently completed a project as part of her Honors thesis that explores the issues of human-induced climate change she has studied with her father over many years, the article states. “I call it environmental art,” she said. “The way I use it is specifically to communicate particular issues.” Pelto creates watercolors and screenprints that illustrate the effects of climate change by integrating scientific data, the article states. “I incorporated a graph with data points and used some sort of illustration to give a narrative about what the piece was about,” she said. “A lot of scientists don’t know how to communicate their research. Since I’m involved in both the science world and the art world, I think I have a unique ability to bridge those.” Pelto’s work is on display in Lord Hall on campus until Jan. 22 as part of the senior studio art exhibit, “The Ghosts of Carnegie Hall.” Climate Central, GlacierHub, onEarth, Public Radio International (PRI), Co.Design and PBS NewsHour also reported on Pelto and her art, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio shared Pelto’s art on his official Instagram account.