Our Place

This collectively composed artwork was designed and fabricated by members of the Write Climate: Art & Engagement class taught by Amanda Nelsen and Andrea Ruedy Trimble. These individual postcards will be presented to local leaders to highlight the deep feelings our community has about our climate future and to further embolden climate action.

Students sewed some 600 postcards together to comprise an image of the Charlottesville area and a backdrop of surface temperature anomalies from 1880-2022. The cooler-than-average and warmer-than average gradients are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (www.climate.gov).

Landscape image based on photograph by Malcolm MacGregor.

Climate change makes me feel... Responses from our members of our commnunity obtained through several hours of engagement.
Each set of four postcards were sewn together as a section and then attached to their row neighbors and adjacent columns.
Many hands helping to install and secure the banner of 600 postcards between White Oaks on Monroe Hill.
Hundreds of attachment points hand sewn using linen thread and jigs to connect the 37 columns.
Installation at Monroe Hill
Image based on photograph by Malcolm MacGregor with background gradients of average temperature anomalies 1880-2022.
Students walked the 36' banner downtown to City Hall and presented it to members of the Charlottesville City Council and Albemarle Board of Supervisors.
Most UVA community members described feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger, frustration and--most importantly--a strong desire to change.
Students working to sew together the 37 columns of some 600 postcards.
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