Tapestry Charter Public Art Team enters the 13th Annual Ocean Awareness Contest: Tell Your Climate Story

The Public Art Team consists of student artists who are enrolled in the Public Art Courses at Tapestry Charter High School. The Public Art Team developed an interactive poetic art exhibition project for the 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest which used personal experiences and insights about their changing climate reality for inspiration.

The Problematic Climate Project

The Problematic Climate Project is an interactive performance installation designed to create community space that allows students to engage with poetry, music, art, drawing, discussions, and personal experiences with climate change. The Problematic Climate Project featured an event called the Problematic Climate Open Mic. The Problematic Climate Open Mic provided a platform for students and members of the community to tell and share their stories, drawings, and experiences impacted by climate change. The Open Mic also featured a Snack & Story Station and a Draw & Drink Bar.

In addition to the Open Mic, the Public Art Team created a Poetic Climate Story Coloring Book that features poems, drawings, designs, and graphic collages inspired by their personal experiences with Climate Change.

Since the Public Art Team wanted to continue sharing their climate stories and art, they donated their Poetic Climate Story Coloring Book to the Grant Street Neighborhood Center which is run by People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH Buffalo).

Event Flyer

Problematic Climate Open Mic Event

Problematic Climate Open Mic Snack & Story Station

The Snack & Story Station encouraged participants to "Tell their climate story" by writing how climate change has personally impacted them. After they completed their story, they used their writing to redeem snacks from the Snack & Story Station.

Problematic Climate Open Mic Draw & Drink Bar

The Draw & Drink Bar encouraged participants to "Tell their climate story" by drawing how climate change has personally impacted them. After they completed their drawing, they used their art to redeem drinks from the Draw & Drink Bar. Participants were also told that their drawings might be included in our Poetic Climate Coloring Book.

Our Open Mic Host reading his Snack & Story

Snack and Story.MOV

Our School Librarian reading his Snack & Story

Snack and Story 2.MOV

An Open Mic Singer & Dance

singdance.MOV

A quick poem about Polar Bears

polar.MOV

Open Mic Poem Performances

Emmy.MOV

Change

by Emeline Ishimwe

How can one thing change so drastically...

One day its good

another it's bad

its beautiful yet scary…

The change and the fact that it's different in different places.

In one place it may be good,

but not the other

I know this because I lived in 2 different places

Its beautiful but yet so scary how different it is

You could experience bad or good depends on where you are at..

But for me

I experienced both good and bad

Like in America

I experienced the Canada fire which made the climate very bad for a few days

Then there is Africa

Where not much bad climate happens

At least not as often as America

but at the end of the day

I'm glad I got to experience both places

and the changes they bring.

Sidina.MOV

Five Feet Deep

by Sidina Jumale

Five feet deep

The snow is 5 feet deep and you couldn't even bare to even go outside

Five feet deep

You couldn’t even shovel the snow

Five feet deep

How cold and windy it was

Five feet deep

Your skin is burning

Five feet deep

your socks are wet, you can barely see anything

Five feet deep

Each step you take there's a chance that you can fall into a pit and not be able to get up

Five feet deep

Many people close to 40+ people died

Five feet deep

People were stranded in their vehicle with no gas, food nor help

Five feet deep

over 100 thousand people in their homes lost power

Five feet deep

This left people distraught as there was nothing anybody could do about it but try to help one another with whatever they could

Five feet deep

Government officials put all resources into getting things back in order

Five feet deep

Regardless of the outcome, it was still life vs nature.

JP.MOV

Air Quality...Pollution

by Jayden Pigford

Air Quality…pollution

I got sick

Air Quality…pollution

Canada made me sick

Air Quality…pollution

My mom told me not to go outside

Air Quality…pollution

Sky color switched

Air Quality…pollution

I thought it was the end of the world

Air Quality…pollution

Needed to give my immune system a kick

Air Quality…pollution

Eyes irritated, shortness of breath and fatigued

Air Quality…pollution

Smoke from wildfires triggered air quality

Air Quality…pollution

Smoke made air quality reduce

Air Quality…pollution

Turned on air purifiers and improved air

Air Quality…pollution

In the end they said everything was okay

Air Quality…pollution

There was still pollution…

But I was able to go back to having a normal day

Nina Smith.MOV

I Hated the Snow Storm

by Nina Smith

I hated the snow storm we had last christmas.

I couldn't go outside, couldn't play in the snow.

I couldn't do anything.

The power went out all over the place.

I hated the snow.

My family and I had to go to my brothers house.

I hated the snow.

We were stuck in the house, couldnt do anything

But again,

I hated the snow.

More Poems written by the Public Art Team

It Was Like a Barren Wasteland

by Hannah Armstrong

It was like a barren wasteland

Canada's forest set on fire. wasn't easy to maintain, it spread a lot and it caused millions of acres to turn to dust.

It was like a barren wasteland

The air turned deep yellow, it was hard to breathe, it made us cough and it got particles in my lungs.

It was a barren wasteland

We wanted to be outside But It was hard to breathe. Millions of people died and properties got destroyed.

It was a barren wasteland

Animales got killed and even the ones that weren't in the fire had to breathe in the smoke.

It was a barren wasteland

The smoke spread thousands of miles, people were scared they didn't know where it came from and what it was going to cause.

It was a barren wasteland

Nobody went outside. Up to 40 forestry companies shut down.

It was a barren wasteland

We need to provide emergency fire equipment, food and shelter. We should have regular wildfire management practices.

It was a barren wasteland

Everyone is Dying

by Jules Herron

I hate the climate everyone is dying