Let’s Get Creative: Art for a Healthy Planet

Let’s Get Creative: Art for a Healthy Planet takes a hands-on approach to educate and motivate students to become actively involved in creating a healthier planet through art. If you are looking for a resource to put more Art in STEAM, this book is for you.

Let’s Get Creative: Art for a Healthy Planet begins with information about materials used to create art and how we can reduce the environmental impact by choosing sustainable art materials. Some of the topics in “Chapter One: Creativity for Change” are “Goodbye, Glitter”, “Pesky Plastics”, and “Paint Pollution”. Each chapter ends with the question, “What Can You Do?”, suggesting actions that students can take to achieve change. The exception is the final chapter which ends with a direct appeal to “Raise Your Voice!”

I hope that reading this book has inspired you to create art that puts the environment first. The ways you express yourself can build a more sustainable world! You have a right to a safe and healthy environment. You also have a right to have your voice heard. Instead of simply making art because it’s fun, you can make art because it’s purposeful and revolutionary! (p. 77)

Art is defined in broad terms to include found art, the circular economy, gardening, eco-architecture, fast fashion, junkitecture (combining junk and architecture), and even art to address eco-anxiety.

Author Jessica Rose lives and works in Hamilton, Ontario, and illustrator Jarett Sitter lives in Calgary, Alberta. Let’s Get Creative: Art for a Healthy Planet takes a global approach to the topic of art for a healthy planet, including many Canadian examples.

The Naurvik project in Goa Haven, Nunavut, uses recycled shipping containers for growing fresh, affordable food year-round. This is especially important in Nunavut’s cold climate. Naurvik means “growing place” in Inuinnaqtun. (p. 56)

Let’s Get Creative: Art for a Healthy Planet includes a Contents page listing five chapter headings with many descriptive subheadings. There is also a glossary, a list of print and online resources, and acknowledgments. This review is based on an Advance Reading Copy, and so the Index will be added for the final printing. In addition to the many colourful illustrations, the book also includes a large quantity of photos.

In my opinion, it would be an improvement if the final edition increased the readability of the captions and sidebars that are often printed in a smaller size font with narrower spacing on coloured backgrounds. Students who are in any visually impaired will find these portions of this book unnecessarily difficult to use.

Let’s Get Creative: Art for a Healthy Planet is a worthy addition to the ARTS section of the STEAM resources in your library or classroom. It is loaded with Canadian and global examples of the difference art is making in restoring and protecting the environment. It is also an excellent resource for raising awareness of how individuals, including students, can make a difference.