Hawai’i: Art & Science of Conservation

About this course

Course Description

This 18-day RISD Global studies course took place on Hawai’i Island. It was co-taught by scientist Dr. Lucy Spelman and artist Professor Andrea Dezsö, both of whom are committed to sustainable conservation through education, creative engagement, and deep personal connection to land and community. This interdisciplinary study program gave students the opportunity to explore current and historical connections between local and Indigenous environmental practices, conservation science and art-practices-in-nature guided by a “Hawaiian sense of place.”

The local arts and environmental education programming partner was the Donkey Mill Art Center in Holualoa; additional local guides were hired for day trips to various nature sites. Daily activities included walks-in-nature, art-in-nature learning activities, meetings with local artists, scientists, and educators, studio time, reading, and discussion. Additional activities included guided visits to nature reserves/parks as well as local arts and environmental organizations.

Dr. Spelman and Professor Dezsö's approach was place-based learning through careful and close observation and examination; students practiced the Hawaiian concept of “kilo.” In the process, students studied the threats to local biodiversity (such as climate change, deforestation, invasive species, and pollution) and the solutions--actual or potential. They made daily entries in their field notebooks, attended lectures and demonstrations, learned traditional approaches to nature-based crafts, water use, and farming from local experts, visited a variety of locations to observe Hawai’i’s “land division system” and its unique biodiversity, and documented their experiences through a combination of writing and art-making. Readings and reading responses were assigned for discussion. For their major project, students teamed up with local community members and artists to create an original work of art or design that explores the intersection of art, science, and conservation for an “Art Exchange Day” at the Center.

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Application + Registration

Instructor approval required to participate. Please contact RISD Global.