“I believe that the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction”.    

      --Rachel Carson    

What people see and experience on a daily basis in their communities influences societal direction and cultural well-being. In our modern time, with the earth’s population living primarily in cities, it becomes more difficult to focus on the natural environment and people are more susceptible to a sense of disconnection from nature. This sense of separation from the natural world, of which we are most essentially a part, can cause a great deal of imbalance and isolation. 

Nature-themed art can be a bridge, reminding us of the vital relationship we have to our living planet, and the importance of celebrating and protecting our Earth’s wonder, beauty and bountiful gifts.  Embracing our connection to the natural world and each other is crucial to our efforts in designing and creating sustainable living models.  It is through this connection that we have an opportunity to look at our cities  and communities more enjoyably and responsibly, with an invitation to welcome ecological sustainability, education and neighborliness. 

Osprey Orielle Lake is one of the world’s few female monument makers working with allegorical images, and her international monument projects reflect how the honoring of cultural diversity, integrated with appreciation for nature, creates a sense of belonging and connection, both locally and globally.    
 
Incorporating meaningful and uplifting nature-themed and culturally diverse images into public spaces is one of the challenges Osprey addresses in her international art projects and presentations.  Public art has historically attempted to provide cohesion to municipalities as it represents the experiences, legacy, philosophies and aesthetics of a particular region and culture.  One way to invite and explore new societal dreams at this pivotal time in history is by respecting and protecting the uniqueness, history, language, worldviews, myths, flora and fauna of each city.    Osprey’s work addresses how nature-based narrative artworks can bring balance, connection and hope into the heart of our cities and homes.

Fostering deeper personal and societal relationships with the land where we live and the places where we travel can enhance the economic, political and sociological issues regarding care for the environment.  In a global economy where the earth is most commonly viewed as a commodity, it is essential to make a change in this perspective.  We can do this through educational, scientific and cultural endeavors that allow us to renew positive human/nature relationships, as individuals, communities, nations and as a world people.

In a recent presentation Osprey recalled the words of cultural historian Thomas Berry, “It’s all a question of story. We are in trouble just now because we do not have a good story. We are in between stories. The old story, the account of how the world came to be and how we fit into it, is no longer effective. Yet we have not learned the new story.”

Osprey: “I believe one way we can change our communities and the way we live is by encouraging and exploring a new narrative. The outer landscape of our world will change particularly as we transform our inner landscape -- our cultural and individual story. This is why I work with public statues and smaller size artworks for the home, to spark a cultural transformation from the inside out.  For this, a new narrative is needed, one that is based on respecting and honoring our shared living Earth and all the Earth’s people. 

“My inspiration for my bronze sculptures and international monument projects came to me over many years of exploring how to bring attention to our living earth. By introducing images that celebrate cultural diversity and nature to homes, offices,and cities around the world, I hope to encourage people to think about a compassionate future and our responsibility to care for our home planet.”

please contact her at: oolake@jps.net