For artist Jill Pelto, painting provides a creative way to communicate with her audience about changing climates, evolving landscapes and communities. On Saturday, she will present her work, “Mountains Made of Data: Sharing Science Stories through Art,” at Sundance Mountain Resort.
It’s all part of Sundance Resort’s Voices of Nature artist series, which highlights environmental filmmakers, authors and artists. Pelto’s is the third presentation of the series.
Pelto calls her work “environmental art.”
“Basically, it will incorporate data into my art as a way to visualize and understand that,” Pelto said. “It has one foot in the fine art realm, but it’s also trying to tell a breakdown of these side stories and tell them in a way that includes emotion and openness that art can have.”
Pelto, who is based in Washington, focuses her art on stories around snowpack and water. But she makes art featuring different landscapes as well. She adds science-backed data into her art to prompt understanding of the risks to those landscapes.
In some pieces, Pelto highlights rivers with data showing the temperatures over time.
“Kind of telling the story about (why) in dry, warm summer months we need the snow in the mountains, and then, in this area, the glaciers as well, to really supplement the water,” Pelto said.
Some works show ecosystems that are affected by rising sea levels, and others depict communities that are working to mitigate those climate changes.
“Obviously, whether that’s recreation or farming, there are all these ripple effects that we’re all really starting to feel,” Pelto said.
As the art director of the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project — an effort that monitors North Cascade glaciers and streams — Pelto also calls herself a “science communicator.” She said she originally made the connection between science and art because they are her two biggest passions in life.
“Art was always a big part of my life. I think I kind of had that in my bones,” Pelto said. “And then science, I think, really came from the way that I was raised.”
Pelto said she has spent plenty of time outside camping and hiking. Her dad, in particular, has a background in science and exposed her to the world of glaciers. Every summer, the pair researches glaciers in Washington.
“I think getting to see stuff like that as a kid just really inspired me,” Pelto said.
Sundance Nature Alliance Acting Director Emily Moench said the Voices of Nature series is about telling stories that connect people to nature and the natural world.
“Which we hope inspires people to care about the Earth, which, in turn, comes full circle when they take action and care for the Earth,” Moench said.
Moench said she has seen the series prompt action before. Last fall, Sundance Nature Alliance hosted filmmaker Abby Ellis, who showed part of her film depicting the climate crisis facing the Great Salt Lake.
“We had several people follow up to say they didn’t realize how dire the situation is and that they’re implementing changes in how they use water, and listen to our recommendations about how to conserve water,” Moench said.
The goal is to encourage people to care about the environment, she said, adding that art often has that effect on viewers.
Pelto said environmental art certainly has had that impact on her.
“I think art can help. It can help share that and process that, and not with the goal of overwhelming people. More, the goal of sharing the emotions — that is something that so many of us are experiencing,” Pelto said.
Pelto’s presentation with the Voices of Nature artist series at Sundance Mountain Resort will be held in the screening room at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets to the event can be found at sundancenaturealliance.org.