Such sadness at the news of the loss of Jane Goodall. Her book of Hope gave me the courage to write “City of Lost Trees” and strengthens my resolve to make art that speaks up for the plight of anyone, like Wolfie in the story, who is forced to flee their home due to climate change.
The NewYorker quoted from the book: ‘Amid flooding and wildfires, impassivity and eco-grief, the question she was asked most often was “Do you honestly believe there is hope for our world?” She did. Hope, she argued, is not merely “passive wishful thinking” but a “crucial survival trait.” She noted, “If you don’t have hope that your action is going to make a difference, why bother to do anything?’
Sometimes it can be hard to decide how to spend your time when it often feels time is in such short supply. I always wanted to make art, and I always wanted to help wildlife. I thought I couldn’t do both. Volunteering at shelters took up so much of my time and emotional energy that there was little left to devote to art afterwards. But when I began to write and create my own puppet shows I realised puppetry was the perfect medium for me to tell the stories I wanted to tell, to spread hope and awareness and compassion for all living things.
I will forever be grateful to Dr Jane Goodall for persevering in her mission to spread hope – without it I would have struggled to see the point in writing, creating and performing stories like City of Lost Trees and to share it with the public.