Artists Making a Difference: Trevor Jones

Posted on June 25, 2011 by

2011 is the International Year of Forests and Trevor Jones, a Canadian artist in Scotland, is taking it seriously.

He’s organized an online auction of artwork inspired by forests and the environment. All of the sales will benefit Trees for Life, an award winning charity working to help restore the Caledonian Forest in Scotland. He’s invited artists from around the globe to participate, and so far he’s had an outpouring of support!

Social media has opened the door for artists all over the world to join together in online art auctions that support worthy charitable causes. Artists are using Twitter, Facebook and blogs to encourage participation, build support and share the results of these auctions. It’s inspiring to see how innovative artists are using social media to make the world a better place.

But why should an auction that benefits a forest in Scotland interest me, an artist in southest Washington State, USA? I’ll probably never go to Scotland. I’ve never heard of the Caledonian Forest, and I’ve never met Trevor.

That is, I’ve never met Trevor in person, but we are friends on Twitter, and that’s how I found out about his Trees for Life fundraiser. He put out a call for artists around the world, and having participated in a couple of other online art auctions, I immediately signed up. Just a couple of mouse clicks and I was in. That’s how easy it was.

“Through the phenomenon of Twitter I want to track down 140 generous artists who will each create a 6×9 inch artwork inspired by the forests or some element of the natural environment where they live” ~ Trevor Jones

Then I googled Trees for Life to figure out what it was all about. I learned that the Caledonian Forest covers a large part of the Scottish Highlands, but more importantly, has a lot of similiarities to the USA’s Pacific Northwest, in particular the Columbia River region where I live.

Many of the tree, plant, mammal, fish and bird species that live or grow in the Caledonian Forest, also proliferate here in the Pacific Northwest. Especially Osprey! I see Osprey all the time. They fly over my house and the park where I walk. They build nests in tall places and I’ve watched their babies spread their wings.

It’s amazing, the same thing happens in the Caledonian Forest, across the world in Scotland! That got me excited and that’s why I decided to paint an Osprey on gold leaf for the auction. It’s varnished and ready for shipment to arrive in Trevor’s mailbox by July 31.

Osprey, Marie Wise, 6 x 9 oil on gold leaf, donation to the Trees for Life charity fundraiser

Five years ago it wasn’t possible for artists to work together like this, quickly, easily, online and with excitement over the ability to share our contributions and ideas.

Trevor is doing a fantastic job with this fundraiser. He is putting the artworks up on his blog as he receives them at http://treesforlifeexhibition.blogspot.com/. He will also have the original works on display in Scotland where they can be purchased, if they have not already been purchased online. Of course I won’t be able to attend, but I already feel like I’m a part of the project, because everyone is sharing it online.

Through Twitter, Trevor is also connecting with international writers and poets who will lend their words to add another dimension to the auction, and lining up jewelry makers to display nature inspired pieces. He says through Twitter and Facebook he’s had artists from every continent get in touch with him. He sends out a big ‘thank you’  to all the artists who have jumped on board, but also gives a big hug and high five to Twitter, since without it, the Trees for Life charity fundraiser would never have materialized!

I’d like to give a big thank you and high five to Trevor for his innovative use of social media!

He’s engaged artists from around the world in a fundraising effort that will help improve the world’s environment by encouraging artiststo do what they do best, their art! The fact that he used Twitter shows how much potential social media has for encouraging people to band together and make the world a better place!

Please learn more about Trevor’s project on any of the below sites, and if you’re on Twitter, spread the word using the hashtag #treesforlife!

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2 Responses to Artists Making a Difference: Trevor Jones

  1. Sue Pownall says:
    June 27, 2011 at 5:05 am

    Yes he definitely deserves a big thank you for organising this event.

  2. Trevor Jones says:
    June 26, 2011 at 12:50 am

    Hi Marie,

    Thanks so much for writing about the Trees for Life exhibition! It’s thanks to such generous artists like you to make something like this work by lending your support and your talents. x

    “An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.” ~ Charles Horton Cooley