An evening of engaging conversation about the many ways the environment can inform and influence art. From selecting materials, to experiencing moments of inspiration in nature, to depicting ecological processes - art and the environment are intertwined. Hear from three UVM artists about their varied approaches to creating with the environment in mind. The panel will give presentations about their work followed by a moderated discussion and audience Q&A. 

Panelists: 

Nicolei Buendia Gupit, Artist and Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences

• Nicolei is a contemporary Filipina American artist working across installation, sculpture, painting, and video to probe questions on cultural belonging. Her multidisciplinary practice speculates on diasporic futures and entangles the relationship between ecologies, foods, histories, and cultures.

Kristian Brevik, Artist and Lecturer, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources

• Kristian works to bring together artistic practice, ecology and evolutionary science, and the environmental humanities. In practice, Kristian creates artwork in the form of hand-built lanterns, collaborative performance, and zines on the topic of multispecies relating. 

Nikolas Kotovich, Artist, Naturalist, and UVM Alum Class of 2013

• Nikolas' work explores how art and nature can inform and enhance one another. He majored in studio art at Bard College and Wildlife Biology at the University of Vermont. After graduating he worked with the Smithsonian Institute and the Nature Conservancy. For over a decade he has been working with architecture and interior design firms to create original artwork.