ARTIST David Hawkins is calling on people in Craven to share images of climate change for his up and coming art exhibition in Skipton.

David, a retired Anglican Bishop, who now lives in Skipton, will be ‘artist in residence’ at the Craven Arts Hub, Caroline Square, from Monday October 18 until November 13.

His resulting exhibition, which will coincide with the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, will take place for a week from November 13.

He plans to make ‘experimental, interactive work’ relating to the two ‘primary challenges’ posed by climate emergency - to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions and reduce plastic waste.

“The residency will be inter-active with the public, and I am asking people to send me photographs which depict examples in Craven of the effects of climate change, plastic pollution and tree disease.” he said.

“I am also looking for photographs of the effect of soil erosion and flooding causing trees to fall prematurely, and peat bogs to become depleted. Not to mention the habit of contractors felling trees unnecessarily.” He added: “I suspect it won’t be possible to work with all the photographs sent in but I hope to build a selection into my work and display them in the final exhibition.

“The main aim of the project is to stimulate interest, conversation and action by residents in response to the climate emergency in the Craven area. “

David, who was formerly the Bishop of Barking, London, and is a keen bird watcher, said much of what would be said from now until the global conference in Glasgow would result in broken promises.

“My hope is that this residency will raise the local profile of climate emergency, through the medium of art, and stimulate creative innovation and practical action,” he said.

If you have a photograph showing some aspect of climate change, email it to: david@davidhawkinsartist.com and mark it‘Residency’.

The Hub, in the former TSB Bank, Caroline Square, Skipton, is open on market days, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11.30 to 3.30pm.