Suzanne Gibbs
On the 23rd July, 2018, I was affected and touched by one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, the Carr fire. It destroyed almost 30, 000 acres in the Shasta and Trinities Counties. That wildfire season was the most deadly and will be remembered for the Mendocino Complex Fire, the largest in California’s history (459,000 acres burnt), The Woolsey fire, and the terrible Camp fire in November that took 85 lives.
Although there are many contributing factors for the increasing devastation of the wildfires, experts claim it’s a combination of the increased amount of natural fuel and the compounded atmospheric conditions, linked to global warming. I fear that Californian wildfires are only to worsen in the future due to the effects of climate change.
This exhibition is my attempt to respond to and record my personal experience of the Carr fire. I experienced its devastation and loss, but it also brought humanity together, inflicted challenge and change. It was responsible for so many stories and reports of heroic deeds, of a community’s strength, resilience, caring and charitable nature.
To capture the eerie transformation of the surroundings I decided to create texture by using the burnt ash gathered from my environment. This exciting and emotive process, using personal, and tactile resources has gone on to inspire her further work.
For more information about the artist, please visit her website.