Beauty And The Bog: Raising Public Awareness Of The Importance And Beauty Of Bogs

‘Beauty and the Bog’ is a new exhibition taking place at the Dancing Light Gallery, West Linton which aims to raise awareness of peat bogs, both as an important natural resource for carbon sequestration and as a fascinating ecosystem in which to observe organism interactions and functions.

Aberdeen-based Macaulay Land Use Research Institute is supporting the exhibition through a Knowledge Exchange Grant to South Lanarkshire-based artist Carol Taylor who has also undertaken research on the links between plants and art with the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

Dr Andy Taylor and Dr Rebekka Artz from the Institute whose work inspired some of the painting in the collection said, "Awareness of peat bogs is most often governed by images of water logged, simple landscapes with little amenity or conservation value, whereas the reality of the system is far from these images. It could be argued that a global level, peat bogs are Scotland’s most iconic soils.

Working in collaboration with artists who utilise the natural world for images and inspirations, the exhibition will utilise different visual media to convey how bogs are formed and maintained and the organisms that are crucial to their functioning."

Carol Taylor said, "I feel it is vital to explore ways in which artists, scientists and community can work together. Art can be used as a means to raise awareness about sustainability and other environmental issues and I’m delighted to be showcasing my work and unveiling the beauty hidden in bogs."

The 'Beauty and the Bog' exhibition which includes paintings and limited edition prints inspired by native Scottish plants takes place at the Dancing Light Gallery West Linton, from 30th January to 25th February 2010.

Published on 01 February 2010 in Ecosystems and biodiversity