The Eco Photography and Art Exhibition was held in All Saints Church from11 – 22 November 2024.  

Two well-known Kingston artistic groups, Kingston Camera Club (KCC) and Kingston Art Open Studios (KAOS), jointly collaborated to show some inspiring depictions of Ecology and Sustainability in Kingston as well as globally.  

Jay Charnock FRPS, APAGB, an experienced and highly regarded camera club competition judge representing KCC was invited to join two other judges, one from KAOS and a second from All Saints Church.

The judges got together to choose one winning photograph and one artwork that fulfilled the exhibition brief which was: "To communicate the message to the viewer that we need to be aware of the environment and the damage we were doing to it".

At the awards reception, the winner of each group was announced, and each winner was presented with a prize gift donated by Cass Art and Snappy Snaps.

Here, Charnock explained that the most important way to judge the artworks and photographs was to find an image conveying the message by strong Non-Verbal Communication (NVC).

She spoke about how she and her companion judges took great care to read each accompanying description attached to every artist and photographer's understanding of the brief, and how they had interpreted it visually.    

The names of the winners were revealed by Charnock, announcing that KCC member Moni Kenward with her print 'Save Water Publicity – India' had been chosen.  

Speaking about how she captured her photograph, Kenward said: "In my travels in rural India, I found many murals with messages painted on large walls in villages and near schools telling children and local people stories, such as 'pick up litter'."

 The simplicity of the message meant you could not help but understand what the message was, in Kenward's photograph the message clearly depicts "save water".

'Save Water Publicity – India' (Credit: Moni Kenward / KCC)

KCC also included photographs of sustainable practices and the importance of connecting with nature.

The winner for KAOS was 'In the Flow' by Lyndsay Russell, whose acrylic painting of Thames River Water was accompanied with her description: "Living on a Kingston Houseboat, I recognize the need for eco sustainability every day.  

"The flotsam of plastic and discarded rubbish float by my home with dismaying regularity.  

"Using muddy Thames water, local fauna and objects captured in the water, I counterbalance this mental perturbance by letting my imagination freely flow with dreams of magical potential, secret creatures and precious treasures hidden within its sullen murky depths."

It continued: "In this piece, I highlight plastic and netting found in the real flow, and transform it as above, into a more mythical dynamic."

'In the Flow' (Credit: Lindsay Russell / KAOS)

The evening was hosted by All Saints Church, represented by Team Rector, Revd. Joe Moffatt, with Lucy Emerson, Policy Project Manager for the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

You can find out more about KAOS on its website and about KCC here.