Donna Davis is a multi-disciplinary artist who examines human and non-human relationships with respect to ecological health. Exploring the intersections between art and science she is often embedded within ecological research projects. Her work tells stories that examine science through a creative lens; exploring imagined futures and constructing new ways of ‘seeing’ complex natural systems and our role within them. Donna has exhibited widely in galleries and public spaces and had her work featured in state and national touring exhibitions.

Abbey Yatsko is an ecologist and entomologist studying trees and termites in the savannas of North Queensland, Australia. As a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Miami, her research seeks to understand how termites hollow out trees and release methane as they decompose wood. In her Ph.D. projects she is measuring how much carbon termites remove from the inside of living trees as well as how much methane termites release to the atmosphere. With a passion for science communication and data visualization, Abbey is excited to partake in an artistic collaboration portraying her scientific message in creative, engaging way.

Artist Statement
Inspired by a collaboration with Ecologist Abbey Yatsko from the University of Miami, The Carbon Store: Gas Exchange creatively explores the hidden world of carbon in some of its many varied forms. Playing between science-fiction and science-fact, Donna seeks to communicate the dichotomy of carbon in nature, and carbon that humans refine; removing carbon from its reciprocal setting and exploring the idea of carbon as a retail commodity, and in this case in a shop in Ipswich. Nature provides so much for us, however, we rarely stop to ask; what is the cost of consuming her resources or how we can repay her in return….