ENVIRONMENTAL ART PROJECTS
At Riversong Music we are passionate about protecting and defending nature. Our main focus for our conservation work is our property at Lower Wilmot in Tasmania 'The Valley Wilderness Retreat' and the campaign to protect takayna / The Tarkine.
During Easter 2017, Scott and Trudi were fortunate to be invited as participating artists at Tarkine in Motion, one of Australia's largest environmental arts programs. For 72 hours they lived and created in one of Earth's last wild places, takayna / The Tarkine on the NW coast of Tasmania. 150 artists were present across the region which encompasses unique temperature rainforests, ancient river systems, mountains, buttongrass plains and wild coastlines that are home to unique threatened and endangered species of wildlife including the Tasmanian Devil, Masked Owl, Wedged Tailed Eagle, Giant Freshwater Crayfish and Spotted Tailed Quoll. This area is also a National Heritage listed Aboriginal cultural landscape.
LATEST RELEASES: Rest in Peace Official featuring the temperate rainforests of takayna, lutruwita (Tarkine, Tasmania) and Gadigal land (the Sydney CBD). Produced by Riversong Music, directed by Wendy McDougall, edited by Trudi Bird, song written by Scott Bird and performed by Men From Earth. Rest in Peace lyric video featuring the Frankland Rivers forests, takayna, lutruwita. Filmed and edited by Trudi Bird, lyrics by Scott Bird, Voices by Men From Earth.
REST IN PEACE
"May you always find the answer. May you sleep on a mountain when the moon fills the sky. Find your peace in the valley. Paint that picture in your mind. May you always find the answer to the troubles that come your way. May you always be the saviour, who rides in and saves the day. Can you feel it on the rising wind? It’s good to rest in peace my friend. In the shadow of the mountain, when the moon is riding high. And the stars, they are painted on a black mid-winter sky. May you always find the answer to the troubles that come your way. May you always be the saviour, who rides in and saves the day. Can you feel it on the rising wind? That rolling thunder as the rain sweeps in. Can you feel it on the rising wind. It’s good to rest in peace my friend. Rest in peace my friend. My land, my true friend, it’s good to be with you again." Scott Bird
"A song for my family and a reminder to stay strong, no matter what comes your way. When you are true to yourself and listen to your heart love will always ease your burdens and help navigate life's twists and turns. The dark forces are held at bay by the powerful protector of heart and home when you affirm your connection with nature, not just physically but also emotionally." Melissa Black
Eden is the second environmental art release from Melissa Black and was shot on location at West Point on the north west tip of takayna / Tarkine in Tasmania, Australia. All contributing artists are a part of Tarkine in Motion 2018 - Learn more here. To learn more about the filming of Eden read the blog series here. You can purchase Eden from the online store.
Film cover design above by Wendy McDougall, body painting by Orly Faya.
Merging with takayna is a short film produced to illustrate the beauty and diversity of a globally significant region on the North West coast of Tasmania, known as takayna / Tarkine. Home to Australia's largest temperate rainforest, endangered species and Aboriginal cultural heritage sites. This film is a collaboration of 21 Australian film makers and artists and is part of the Tarkine in Motion environmental arts project which is co-ordinated through the Bob Brown Foundation to raise awareness for the need to protect and respect this wild landscape.
Featuring the soundtrack 'Red Blood Moon' by Melissa Black from her EP 'The Eden Project'.
The aim with Tarkine in Motion is to take artists into the place and experience its beauty, while also raising awareness of the threat by logging, mining and off-road vehicle damage to the natural and cultural values. Further to this, the goal is to use art in a challenging and inspiring way to raise the alarm that the Tarkine is threatened and inspire support for the region’s protection.
Scott and Trudi were based at Frankland river camp during Tarkine in Motion 2017 and were blessed to have good conditions to capture drone footage of the area which is under imminent threat of logging. You can see the footage below. In 2018 they completed their short film, The Welcome, featuring Frankland River and Scott's song. Trudi grew up in the region during the 70's and 80's and her family continue to farm the land, four generations on and Scott spent his youth surfing the wild takayna coast. Even though they have lived on mainland Australia for most of their adult lives, they maintain a strong connection with these ancient forests, wild rivers, open plains and wild coastlines, in love with the diversity and beauty of country.
To find out more about how you can help the campaign visit www.bobbrown.org.au and www.actionfortarkine.org. Thanks for taking the time and for caring about our wild places....wherever they are.