• How can we reciprocate since the world keeps us alive on the one hand, and on the other hand, all these things, birds and you name it, right? Fish and moose and beaver, these are things we love. So, if this is the world we love, we're going to have feelings about how we might want to do positive things to keep this world we love as nurtured as possible. And we also hopefully want to ask, how do we keep our own ability to be alive and thrive here as humans?

Sarah Peebles is a Toronto-based installation artist, composer and music improvisor. Much of her work explores digitally manipulated found sound and unconventional methods of amplification. She has also collaborated with artists, technicians and bee biologists on a series of projects addressing pollination ecology and biodiversity, entitled ‘Resonating Bodies’ since 2008. I loved her ideas on reciprocity, which, indirectly, is what this podcast tries to do by sharing the work of ecological artists like Sarah and their vision of a world where we can peacefully cohabitate with the more-than-human world. 

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Observe the natural world closely to understand its intricate feedback loops.
• Support native bee populations by considering land management practices and avoiding harmful pesticides.
• Explore art as a medium for understanding and engaging with ecological issues.
• Question conventional agricultural practices and advocate for sustainable alternatives.
• Recognize the impact of individual choices on the broader ecosystem and strive for reciprocity.

Story Preview

Imagine stepping into a world where the secret lives of native, wild bees are amplified, revealing a symphony of tiny movements and vital connections. Sarah Peebles’ art invites us to observe and listen closely to nature’s diverse, essential players and reconsider our role in its delicate dance. 

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Concept of Reciprocity
01:00 Meet Sarah Peebles
02:24 Engaging with Biodiversity
05:24 Art as a Medium for Science
10:14 The Role of Art in Healing

Featured Quotes

• How can we reciprocate since the world keeps us alive?
• They (bees) don’t care about me at all. They’re doing what they do. I’m helping to provide places in which they can forage and nest which we can visually and sonically access.
• It’s a little bit easier to just allow people to have a sense of wonder and go from there.

Behind the Story

Sarah Peebles’ journey exploring art and biodiversity began with a concern: despite years of recording natural sounds, she saw no real change in environmental awareness. This led her to collaborate with wild bee biologist Professor Lawrence Packer, sparking a passion for native bees and a desire to make biodiversity tangible through art. Her ‘Deluxe Log’ and other "Resonating Bodies" installations are a testament to this dedication, offering a unique window into the hidden world of these essential pollinators and the habitat that supports them.

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025