“Voyagers”, Acrylic and mixed media on canvas.

Artist and parishioner Terry Boutelle has been working on a series of paintings in response to the daily images of migration and the climate crisis. These abstract paintings result from a meditation on migration and the forces that move populations away from their homelands: Escaping war, oppression, poverty, famine and the effects of climate change, seeking peace, security, safety, freedom, and a future.

“Voyagers”, Acrylic and mixed media on canvas. The year 2015 was the peak of the refugee crisis in Europe, with over a million people migrating to Europe (UNHCR), the majority over the Mediterranean Sea. People have been migrating over the Mediterranean for centuries: To Africa, in the 15th century Jews and Muslims being expelled from Spain, in the 16th through 19th centuries, Europeans moving to colonize African regions and exploit the natural resources there. To Europe, in the 20th century after decolonization, Europeans moving back to Europe, and because of a need for workers, migrants were encouraged to move to Europe in late 20th century. Today refugees from Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East are escaping war, poverty, and the effects of climate change.

“Kivalina”, mixed media Among the first villages in the U.S. to be displaced by sea level rise, Kivalina, Alaska sits on an island predicted to be under water by 2025 (Wiki). Others include: Newtok, Shishmaref, Shaktoolik, and Port Heiden.

“Aralkum”, mixed media on canvas The South Aral Sea in Uzbekistan has been diminishing since mid-20th century, resulting in increased child mortality and maternity deaths, and shortened life expectancy. The salination of soils has made them unsustainable for growing food, and the fish population has declined to zero.* *Columbia Univ., The Aral Sea Crisis

“Remnants of War”, acrylic, mixed media on canvas Inspired by the film White Helmets (2016) about the Syrian Civil Defense in Aleppo, Syria, and images of the destroyed city, this painting uses materials such as soil, rebar, cinder blocks, bullets, charred wood, natural material, and acrylic paint. During the Syrian civil war, now in its 10th year, about 5.6 million Syrians have fled to other countries, and another 6.2 million people are displaced within Syria (worldvision.org).

See more at terryboutelle.com