Community Contours in the Southern Appalachian Mountains: Jill Pelto is presented in partnership with the Pathways to Resilience QEP, a 5-year (2024-2029) climate literacy initiative at Appalachian State University. This important university-wide initiative encourages students’ climate literacy and climate response-ability—the capacity to participate in positive climate action in our professions and our communities, from local to global. Pelto's watercolor series encapsulates species resilience amidst changing habitats across the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Pelto describes how, "my experience as an artist and climate scientist shapes my paintings, which incorporate environmental narratives and science data. To start untangling the complexities of local and global trends, I visualize connections between environmental change and human action. Through color, pattern, and perspective, I hope to provide unexpected opportunities for people to personally engage science through observation, reflection, and dialogue." Community Contours in the Southern Appalachian Mountains: Jill Pelto is on display in Mayer Gallery, and is accessible to the public during regular hours of operation. Admission is free.