A Creative Approach to Ecological Education
EcoArts Foundation is committed to its mission: to creatively inspire regeneration
About Us
History
EcoArts was born to creatively address environmental topics and support the regeneration movement. This concept is the inspiration for events, collaborations, music, and educational content for students of all ages.
EcoArts initially operated under fiscal sponsor Encinitas Arts, Culture, and Ecology Alliance before becoming a sole proprietorship. John Biethan, RIP, trail-blazed the way in creating the Let's Talk About the Weather podcast, which instigated conversations the world over with artists addressing ecological concerns.
Today, you can find active eco arts programs via partner organizations EcoArts Kids and Little Shepherds Nature Lab.
A special thanks to Laurel Mehl of Coral Tree Farm, who supported EcoArts until her last days.
About the Founder
Ashley Mazanec's leadership in education began with an undergraduate capstone teaching ethnomusicology, which led to managing Portland Parks and Recreation’s tutoring program and Encinitas Union School District’s after-school ASPIRE program – which she did alongside touring as a professional singer. She completed a UCSD Fellowship in 2016 for the US-Israel Center’s garden Rain Barrel program in Pacific Beach, City Heights, and Encinitas and authored a STEAM-integrated curriculum to accompany rooftop rain collection.
Formerly a sculptor under internationally-acclaimed ocean artist Mark MacKay, she took this STEAM approach further into the visual arts by co-authoring and teaching EcoArts programs in Poway Unified School District at Del Sur Elementary (2019-2020), Carlsbad Education Foundation and Solidarity Farm School. In 2021-2024 she directed PK-8th grade music and performing arts education at Saint James Academy in Solana Beach, where she taught a sustainability elective based on Paul Hawken's Regeneration.
Ashley has been endowed with various awards, including a UCSD Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) Fellowship and Surfing Madonna Oceans Project Scholarship to the Artists and Climate Change Inaugural Incubator in NYC. She holds her Masters in International Environmental Policy from GPS, where she served as Net Impact UCSD Graduate Chapter President.
A Climate Science Alliance (SIO) affiliated artist, Ashley's voice can be heard on Netflix, public radio, in corporate stores across the country, and on recorded works by international talents such as Bassnectar, Eligh, and Champagne Drip – mostly in the electronic music genre. She is Permaculture Design Certified (PDC) and bilingual in Spanish/English.
Today, Ashley supports W1SE (World Initiative for a Sustainble Earth) via podcast production and A&R.
Our mission
EcoArts Foundation is committed to its mission: to creatively inspire ecological regeneration.
By celebrating imaginative eco-themed content, we engage a diverse community from elementary school students to international eco artists via events, programs and educational media. We envision a world where regenerative practices are the norm worldwide. May arts lead the way!