Australian Fires, People and Animals

(c) Betty Butler, Kangaroo Escape, Print, 2020

(c) Betty Butler, Escaping the Fire, Print, 2020

It is hard to believe that it was only in January of this year that the world finally took notice of the 2019-2020 Australian fires. They had been devastating to the country’s environment and tragically caused human deaths and homelessness. However, the situation also pulled at our heartstrings. The world has witnessed the burning and suffering of Australia’s beautiful and rare animals. Scientists estimate one billion have died. In January, I was moved to create these digital collages relating to the inferno’s effect on human and animal life.

(c) Betty Butler, Australian Fires, Print, 2020

January Gladioli Surprise

(c) Betty Butler, Winter Gladioli, Print, 2019

   

I started Winter Gladioli (above) with photographs taken last August 2019. Then, I brought these flowers straight into January of 2020 by overlaying them with bare trees and muting parts of their bright red-pink color to white and gray. Immediately, it appeared like the gladioli were part of a snowy scene.  Similarly, our climate has been unrecognizable in many ways across the globe. From massive fires in Australia to continuing ice melts in the Arctic, 2019 alone has seen unprecedented climate changes. These are the kinds of surprises, I for one, do not like to see. 

(c) Betty Butler, Gladioli Lights I, Print, 2019

Populations Forced to Move

(c) Betty Butler, Searching for Food, Print, 2019

(c) Betty Butler, Through the Desert, Print, 2019

As the warming climate changes our planet in unexpected ways, there will be populations forced to move. Some migrations will be due to the ocean rising and reclaiming everything from beachfront property to island nations. Some people will be forced to move north as the heat makes living unbearable. Other populations will be on the move, as their food production decreases, due to the desertification of once fertile land. Desertification is the process by which dry, but useable areas, are transformed into a desert.