For many of us, this winter felt like a lifetime. Lockdown and being stuck indoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic have really taken its toll, but finally we are coming into May and things are looking up! I know that summer doesn’t officially begin until June but with the beginning of May, comes May Day celebrations which marks its beginning.

May Day (1^st May) has been celebrated for over 2000 years, beginning with the Roman ‘Floralia’, people have seen this time as the coming of spring and the passing of winter, bringing beauty and warmth. A time to celebrate nature and the importance and beauty of nature in our world.

Now more than ever it is incredibly important we value nature and fight to preserve it for years to come, after all, we only have one planet. Young women like Greta Thunberg are an inspiration to us all and especially the younger generation https://www.vogue.com/article/greta-thunberg-letter-climate-change-earth-day with her tireless campaigning for climate change and absolute love of nature.

For these reasons too, I have dedicated my art to celebrate nature and remind people of its beauty. My paintings encourage people to appreciate the rare and raw beauty about us, and to allow our imagination to roam about the abstract compositions which symbolize the unsettling world in which man alters nature.

‘Tiger Balcony’ is a part of my Wildlife series, it shows a majestic tiger, trapped behind a man-made balcony – pleading for change. The viewer is also trapped behind the balcony. This and many of my other paintings benefit ‘The Wildlife Protection Society of India’ (WPSI), which supports conservation to tackle India’s growing wildlife crisis. 

http://www.wpsi-india.org/wpsi/index.php

Supporting protection and conservation societies like WPSI allows me to feel more connected to nature, as well as providing an opportunity for my buyers to contribute to these causes. May Day gives us a chance to delve deeper into nature, to notice seasonal changes in our environment and celebrate the beautiful simplicity of welcoming summer.

https://oenonehammersley.com/product-category/wildlife/