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ARTIST Serena Stevens is hosting an exhibition of her earth-inspired work and hopes its success will benefit the victims of recent global catastrophes.

In the wake of the recent earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand she will be donating 50 per cent of the profits on any sales from her exhibition entitled 'Earth balance' to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Funds are being utilised for the on-going provision of immediate relief and for eventual recovery support to the affected populations.

Serena, 47, said: "I hope that the stillness and serenity in my work begs people to literally 'stop' and take a moment to think about the way in which the earth speaks to us.

"Over and above the normal cyclical events that take place, the earth shows its emotions through the climate and its geology.

"It is a living, breathing entity that we must treat it well in order for it to function well. My contribution is to get us to contemplate what we can do to increase efforts sufficiently and efficiently enough and what the consequences might be if we don't?

"It speaks of resilience and survival, perhaps with a hint of melancholy at times, but always with hope for a future that's cleaner, more gentle on our environment, more natural and more balanced than today.

"Climate change is one humanities greatest dilemmas but art has largely ignored the subject so far.

"I want to create the feeling of being on the edge of something and to describe the feeling of uncertainly that we all face - art allows that to happen. It's a visual response that people can connect without having to be preached or lectured to."

Serena has been a resident in Bahrain for the past 24 years and now lives in Amwaj Islands. She earned her diploma in fine arts, graphic design and illustration from the Reigate School of Art and Design in Surry, UK.

Her exhibition runs until April 9 at the World Beat Fitness Centre in Janabiya.