April News
Hello All!
I’m excited to be sending you the first email of a new monthly email communication sharing news and events related to art and the environment. In other words a newsletter. Each month I will share a piece of recent work or work in progress, along with information about its creation and context as well as news about exhibitions and events. I hope this will be a welcome and inspiring distraction from the news and events of the world at large.
Work in Progress
Work in progress: Barn Owl
On the Road | January 2025
The early January drive north to the Museum of Northern California Art, where I was to install two new works for their "Birds, Birds and More Birds" show, began with the quiet beauty of the winter landscape. The grasslands and wetlands flanking the road were stunning and an astounding view of hundreds of snow geese in the air prompted a spontaneous visit to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge – more on the vibrant life I witnessed there below – but the tranquility of the journey was soon shattered by a deeply troubling sight. I began to recognize and tally the barn owls and other birds of prey lying still and awkwardly prone along the roadside. Eight barn owls. I counted at least eight that day. The sheer number of these fallen creatures left me stunned and profoundly saddened. In an attempt to process this loss and perhaps honor their lives, I began to draw a barn owl. It's still a work in progress, but I feel privileged to be getting to know this beautiful species through the intimate act of drawing. This experience has also led me to seek out more information on how human infrastructure impacts wildlife, which is how I discovered a new book called "Crossings, How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of our Planet" by Ben Goldfarb. My copy arrived today, and I'm eager to learn about the innovative ways people are working to improve our coexistence with all life on Earth, like building bridges for California Mountain Lions. Yet, the question of how we can effectively protect our avian species and the vital insect populations ways heavily on my heart and mind.
Sacramento National
Wildlife Refuge
January Wolf Moon Rising at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Great Egret taking flight at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
My first visit to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge on January 13, 2025 unfolded like a surprising journey into a protected wetland paradise, with the offering a slow drive along a winding gravel road. As the sun began to set on the western horizon the full wolf moon rose on the east, it was a thrilling experience to be in such close proximity to so many birds, observing their natural behaviors without feeling like an intrusive presence. The majority were the migrating Snow Geese, gathered in animated flocks throughout the wetland area. The refuge was brimming with numerous other species, many of which I'm still learning to identify, and it was a joy to see familiar birds like the red-winged blackbird and Great Egret thriving in this remarkable landscape.
Now on view at the Grass Valley Center for the Arts…
Exhibition announcement for the 6000 Circle Project at The Center for the Arts
The 6000 Circle Project, focuses on the circle as a symbol of balance and unity, a never ending container of feminine energy and light. The Calling collaborative including myself, Chantelle Goldthwaite and Yasmin Lambie-Simpson created this project that gives artists and non artists alike license to participate in a variety of ways with only two non-negotiable parameters to the project: that the substrate for the images was circular and the art responded to the theme of feminine energy.
The circles currently installed at the Center for the Arts, March 9 through April 25, were created by a multitude of artists, of all genders, from around the globe, both groups and individuals, gathering and making. There are over 500 circles that reflect an immense variety of stories and knowledge about individual and collective experiences of the feminine journey, energy and leadership. All donations and proceeds from the sale of circles will be donated to the Neighborhood Center for the Arts in Grass Valley.
The 6000 Circle Project is an ongoing collaboration honoring the feminine. If you’d like to learn more and participate please click the button below to visit The Calling page on my website.
Sharing a new way to connect with and collect my work…
I've finally taken what feels like a rather brave step and opened an online shop on my website. Putting my work out there for purchase in this way feels a little vulnerable, but it's a necessary move as I work towards building more support for my studio and artistic journey. This shop is just beginning, a work in progress that I'll be developing over time. If you're curious, please click the Collect button below to have a look. Your support and appreciation mean the world.
I gratefully acknowledge that my studio in South Berkeley is located on the unceded territory of the Chochenyo Ohlone people. I recognize their deep and enduring connection to this land and offer my sincere respect to their ancestors, elders, and community members today. As a way to give back and honor this land, I am proud to donate a percentage of every sale to support Indigenous communities and their cultural preservation and self-determination efforts.