A new Esquimalt art exhibit is using intricate paintings of animals and plants to draw attention to an issue thatB次元官网网址檚 been top of mind for many B.C. residents in the last year B次元官网网址� climate change.

Hollow Ground is a 17-piece display by Island artist Claire Gaulin-Brown.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a body of work that shows how fragile our existence is and that weB次元官网网址檙e walking on hollow ground that might fall out from under us at any moment,B次元官网网址� Gaulin-Brown said in a release. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e tried to express this fragility and interconnectedness in my work by weaving together different animals and creating pieces that appear simple or cheerful on the surface, but are actually quite complex and intricate.B次元官网网址�

In one piece, three herons are seen knotted together with a tree protruding from each of their beaks. Two others show bouquets of vibrant flowers displayed in colourless animal skulls.

All of the pieces are both beautiful and disturbing.

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A few are autobiographical, speaking to experiences Gaulin-Brown has had with the natural world.

B次元官网网址淲hen I was a kid, I would often go out and explore the woods surrounding where we lived. One piece, What We Found Just Beneath, is sort of an homage to that time. ItB次元官网网址檚 a collection of small items I could have picked up on those nature walks,B次元官网网址� she said.

All her work, in and out of the exhibit, focuses on themes of environmentalism.

In September, Gaulin-BrownB次元官网网址檚 art was also featured in EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 first mural festival. Her colourful piece called A Migration showed the movement of animals, something she told Black Press Media she hoped made people think about the journey of life.

Hollow Ground is on display at the Esquimalt Community Arts Hub, 901 Esquimalt Rd., until Jan. 28. Gallery hours can be found at .

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