Artist spotlight: Autumn stock
“Matterhorn Clouds”
I was born and raised in Yosemite National Park, where my parents worked as park rangers. Growing up among amazing artists and mentors has inspired me to share my love of nature through art. The park is not only my home but became my earliest source of inspiration. For me, creating art is a way to ground myself in the landscape. I began working in watercolor because of its ability to capture a moment in time and take me to a peaceful, almost meditative state that I experience while painting places I love and know well.
Over the years, my work has focused on the landscapes that have always been a part of me, particularly Yosemite. Throughout my artistic journey, I have gotten the privilege to show my paintings at the Ansel Adams Gallery, Mono Lake Committee, Yosemite Conservancy, and other local businesses and fairs. I am currently a sophomore at Colorado College, pursuing Environmental Studies and design. My studies have honed my technical skills and deepened my understanding of the relationship between people, our environment, and art. I believe that art has the power to connect us to the world around us, and my goal is to foster a deeper sense of appreciation for the natural world. For me, painting is a way to honor the beauty that shaped my life, and I hope my work inspires others to reconnect with the land that sustains us.
Art has helped me see the importance of caring for our beautiful home and its inhabitants. I hope that my paintings can inspire others to be stewards of the wilderness that we are so lucky to be able to play in. I think my mission aligns with the Yosemite Renaissance’s mission of sharing a celebration of Yosemite art in a meaningful and intentional way. It would be such an honor to be able to share my work with the Yosemite Renaissance.
Growing up within Yosemite National Park provided me with an intimate relationship with the landscape. The subjects of these paintings are deeply rooted in the places I have known since childhood: granite cliffs, waterfalls, the high sierras, and the ever-changing sky. I especially love painting with plein air watercolors in wild, alpine environments. I love watercolor because it allows me to create works that feel like they have a sense of movement. I especially love painting the sky, whether it's the shifting light of dawn over the Matterhorn or the dusk tones of Yosemite Falls. I try to embrace the spontaneity of watercolor, letting it guide me and show me techniques I could never come up with on my own.
I chose to paint Matterhorn Peak Clouds, as it holds fond memories and I have wanted to paint the scene for years. Being the highest point on the dramatic Sawtooth Ridge, I find that Matterhorn Peak encapsulates the rugged, sharp, and wild terrain of the high sierras. I was especially excited about casting a warm orange sunlight over the jagged landscape.
In each piece, I strive to create not just a visual representation of the landscape, but an experience that invites reflection and a sense of wonder. I created both of these paintings with the intention to feel the same sense of memory and reminiscing that I experience whenever I return to Yosemite.
2021 - Looking Back and Forward - A Note From our Director
Looking Back and Forward - A Note from our Director
Season of Smoke, the Journey - photograph by Ward Ruth - Yosemite Renaissance 36
2020 is fading away like a disturbing dream, an accident passed on the highway, growing ever smaller in the rear view mirror. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on all aspects of our lives, compounded by catastrophic wildfires and political discord, creating additional concern and hardship.
Yosemite Renaissance 35 reception - February 21st 2020 - Yosemite Museum
Today, February 21st, 2021, is the one year anniversary of the Yosemite Renaissance 35 reception at the Yosemite Museum. The reception has been a tradition in Yosemite for decades, taking place in the heart of the valley in the heart of winter.
Interpretive ranger Ben Cunningham-Summerfield playing Native American flute at the Yosemite Museum
On a typical night, snow blankets the valley floor, ice crystals sparkle in the trees, and Horsetail Fall shimmers in the twilight, drawing photographers from far and wide.
The event was well attended. Many artists and supporters came, gathering outside in the cold to greet old friends, sip wine, snack on cheese and shrimp (lots of shrimp…also a tradition). As the evening light faded the crowd packed into the museum, elbow to elbow, a bit too warm for most, (…another tradition) to celebrate the presentation of awards.
It was a lovely night, full of good humor and warm feelings. There was no way to know that it would be one of the last public gatherings most of us would attend for many months, and that our lives would change in so many ways.
Yosemite Renaissance 35 sign by Betty Tikker Davis and Trowzers Akimbo
It is a new year, but the core issues we faced in 2020 remain. The Covid pandemic is a warning sign that as populations grow and natural resources diminish, future pandemic diseases could be much worse. As Covid vaccines become available, we look forward to a time when we can gather together safely again, but it will take some time to recover from the damage done.
It is very likely that climate change will lead to more fires, severe storms and other environmental disasters. Our impact on the planet must be addressed. While the 2020 election is over, it is clear that the political divide in our country is still a concern. We need to find ways to work together despite our political and personal differences.
We must learn from the trials we have faced, and set our sights on a brighter future. There is hope in the idea that “adversity leads to innovation”. There has been progress learning to cope in a world where we are forced to physically distance from each other. In business, education and the arts, solutions have emerged that allow us to collaborate and interact remotely. As the pandemic recedes, it is likely that many of these ideas will persist, and will continue to enhance our lives.
Sequoia Cones and Granite - photograph - Jon Bock 2020
With the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine pulsing in my arm, I ask myself, “What can one person do? What can I do?”. The challenges we face can be overwhelming. I believe we need to choose our battles, and do our small part, ultimately contributing to the whole. In the case of Yosemite Renaissance, we do our part through the arts. Artists express some of our deepest beliefs, values and desires. By doing so we can find hope, solace, and a vision of what the future can be, and can share our vision with others.
Jonathan Bock - Director, Yosemite Renaissance
I chose this photograph by Yosemite Renaissance 36 artist Ward Ruth for this post. To me, it represents the tragedy of the past and hope for the future. It also expresses the importance of finding beauty in the world, even in times of difficulty and loss.
The artist states, “For a week in the latter part of October I walked in and around some of the canyons in the North Eastern corner of Yosemite. I had been trying to schedule the trip for over a month, but kept having to push it back due to the devastating fires in the Sierra this summer and fall.
Finally towards the end of October the smoke from these seemed to moderate somewhat — but this was only relative. The smoke was a continual looming presence on my trip, pervading the views to the south and flowing north up the canyons. I was dismayed standing on a southern ridge how impacted the vista was — grand peaks only a few miles distant were almost completely obscured from view, visible if at all as only dimly looming shapes in the oppressive smoke.
And yet the profound beauty of the Sierra emerged even from this veil of gloom. At times I felt a deep melancholy, such as when wandering by the shore of a small desolate lake, cloaked in the amber hues of smoke and autumn. The stillness spoke to me of passings, stillness, the depths of the earth, and time.
But other moments linger also in my memory: distant ridges flattened into delicate overlapping shapes … shafts of late afternoon light flooding into a deep glacially carved canyon below me … a still evening at a rugged campsite, the moon and stars high above glowing softly through vaporous smokes, tall peaks sweeping up from the sides of the canyon below.
There is magic, the wisdom of the wild, here still and forever. I try to catch some of it if I can.
Ward Ruth
The Drowning of Hetch Hetchy - YR33 PROGRAM COVER ARTIST - Jennifer Fosgate
The Drowning of Hetch Hetchy. An artist’s story by Jennifer Fosgate
The Drowning of Hetch Hetchy - YR33
Program Cover Artist - Jennifer Fosgate
March 29, 2018
This year, the image for our program cover was chosen for its engaging graphic composition, and its content. The piece combines images and text related to the flooding of the Hetch Hetchy Valley, for the point of view of someone directly influenced by the event.
"My parents, both artists in their own right, took a photograph of me propped against a pine tree in Yosemite Valley when I was six months old. 64 years later this special place is still stimulating my senses in a multitude of ways. It invites me to follow its paths and explore its vast wonders. It asks me to share its beauty with my family and friends. It tempts me to photograph its plunging waterfalls and towering cliffs. And it inspires me to draw and write and paint and create, something I've been doing my whole life. For me drawings and words and paintings are little windows to show others what I see and hear and feel, and to celebrate inspiration.
Without the inspiration of places like Yosemite, for me, there would be no art. Along with the sky, moon and clouds, equine forms, rocks and moving water, and the contrasts and movement of nature, Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada continue to be an enduring source of inspiration. Yet as beautiful and precious as these sources of inspiration are, sometimes inspiration comes in a different form. Sometimes it is the exact opposite, a need to express the pain of grief, the despair of loss, the wretched sacrifice of perfection.
Hetch Hetchy Valley before the dam.
Many years after the photograph under the pine tree was taken, I drove into a forgotten corner of Yosemite National Park. What I saw when I steered around a particular bend in the road has left an ache in my heart that has never gone away. A magnificent granite valley, astonishingly similar to Yosemite Valley, lay before me. But this perfect beauty had been damaged beyond belief. I couldn’t imagine how we as a people could let this happen. Although the upper reaches of the valley were pristine and breathtaking, the lower half was covered with the fluctuating waters of a reservoir which left a disgusting “bath-tub” ring on the valley’s granite cliffs. What should have been a lovely lake was instead an abomination. The water was contained by an enormous concrete dam which blocked the flow of what was surely a once magnificent the river. This place is Hetch Hetchy, and the dam is the infamous O’Shaughnessy.
The Drowning of Hetch Hetchy - detail
Over the decades my need to share the abhorrence I feel over the loss of the Hetch Hetchy Valley has been expressed in various ways. There have been the letters written to politicians and media sources, the research into the history of the area, contacting and sharing with others who find the drowning of Hetch Hetchy intolerable, and most importantly, the creation of art. By studying old photographs of Hetch Hetchy Valley before it was flooded, drawings and paintings have been produced and shared and exhibited and given away. Photographs have been taken and displayed and published. Prose and poetry have been written on the subject, and partnered with those photographs and drawings and paintings."
- Jennifer Fosgate -
Yosemite Renaissance 32 at Gallery 5 in Oakhurst, Oct 14 - Nov 26 2017
“We are very excited to host the 32nd annual Yosemite Renaissance art exhibit at Gallery 5. It is a great honor to present this inspirational art exhibit celebrating Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada wilderness we know and love.” - Jon Bock, Director, Yosemite Renaissance
The 32nd Annual Yosemite Renaissance is now on display at Gallery 5 in Oakhurst!
The exhibit will be on display from Oct 14 through Nov 26, 2017, with a special Gala Reception on Saturday, Oct 21 from 4 to 8 pm, featuring live music with Good Medicine and a fire dance performance by Circus Etcetera!
The annual Yosemite Renaissace exhibit opens in February at the historic Yosemite National Park Museum Gallery in the heart of Yosemite Valley, then travels to other art centers across California. This year the show has traveled from the Yosemite Museum to the Kings Art Center in Hanford, the Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock, and now… settling down like a wild dove… at Gallery 5 in Oakhurst, completing the 2017 traveling exhibit as part of the Visit Yosemite Madera County’s ARTober celebration!
Yosemite Renaissance 32 at Gallery 5 in Oakhurst
Executive Director Jonathan Bock states; “We are very excited to host the 32nd annual Yosemite Renaissance art exhibit at Gallery 5. It is a great honor to present this inspirational art exhibit celebrating Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada wilderness we know and love.”
Gallery 5 is located at Yosemite Gateway Gallery Row, 40982 Hwy 41, Oakhurst CA.
For more info call 559-683-5551
The call to artists for Yosemite Renaissance 33 has begun! Artists can apply now at https://onlinejuriedshows.com/Default.aspx?OJSID=15882
Yosemite Renaissance is dedicated to supporting the arts in Yosemite and the Yosemite Gateway communities. The exhibit is sponsored by Mariposa County, Ansel Adams Gallery, Visit Yosemite Madera County, the National Park Service, and many other dedicated supporters and friends!
YR Director Jon Bock, Sheila Gallery Dog, and Juno Care Bear Dog at Gallery 5
First Snow - YR32 Program Cover Artist Mary Beth Schwartzenberger
"I have no trouble describing how I work – I paint on a handmade Japanese paper called kyoseishi and then embellish the piece with hand embroidery. The “why” is more complicated but also more interesting to read about, as it speaks to why one creates art at all." - Mary Beth Schwartzenberger
With so many exceptional works to choose from, the selection of the image for our annual program cover is always difficult. In this case, the subtle color, inviting texture, and topical theme caught my attention. The piece depicts a single bare pine tree, limbs empty of needles, perhaps a victim or drought, fire, pine beetles, or all three. Regardless, the mood overpowers the subject, making it easy to imagine the first blanket of snow that will smooth the blackened profiles of dead trees and begin the transition toward a verdant spring.
"I have no trouble describing how I work – I paint on a handmade Japanese paper called kyoseishi and then embellish the piece with hand embroidery. The “why” is more complicated but also more interesting to read about, as it speaks to why one creates art at all."
"This image was borne out of a trip to Yosemite. My family and I have visited the park many times over the years and every time we visit, the park offers new visions and thoughts. On this particular trip, I was struck by the overwhelming amount of dead pine on the mountainsides. It was a shocking sight and so sad to see, as the mountains bore the ravages of drought and bark beetle. I wanted to capture that lone tree, standing stark and bare against the forest. I added snow, because I wanted to see those mountains blanketed with a snow that was lovingly covering the damage and offering a safe haven for new life to begin.
Only after the piece was completed did it dawn on me just how personal a piece this was. I realized that this tree could be a metaphor for myself. I had just overcome some difficult days with the passing of my mother. I was battle scarred and weary. But just like the snow cover in my scene, my trip to Yosemite brought healing and respite into my life and I began to feel the stirrings of a new beginning.
Not every piece that an artist produces has such a deeper meaning, and this personal connection to “First Snow” is one of the reasons I was so pleased to have the work both included and honored in this dynamic exhibit."
You can follow Mary Beth’s work on Facebook Mary Beth Schwartzenberger/Paper and Thread
I Was Told there Would be Pie - YR32 Invitation Cover Artist Theresa Grams
"The intent of my art is simple – to share the beauty I see in nature with others. I often visit national and state parks, family farms, some of the 10,000 lakes here in Minnesota, and even go on Sunday drives in the country to be inspired by the beauty of animals and nature. A camera is always within my reach during any trip I take." - Theresa Grams
I Was Told there would be Pie - Oil Painting by Theresa Grams
We are excited to announce the cover artist for the Yosemite Renaissance 32 Invitation, Theresa Grams. The painting depicts a dynamic and colorful portrait of a black bear, (well actually blue), poised as if alerted to something that has caught its interest.
Grams says: "The intent of my art is simple – to share the beauty I see in nature with others. I often visit national and state parks, family farms, some of the 10,000 lakes here in Minnesota, and even go on Sunday drives in the country to be inspired by the beauty of animals and nature. A camera is always within my reach during any trip I take.
Once I have an image that really captures my interest, I create the initial sketch on the canvas and then begin the creation process. After the paint used for color blocking of the sketch dries, I use a wet on dry layering technique, often with very bold colors. The multiple paint layers filled with unexpected coloring and texture, along the interest created by a bit of abstraction within realistic figure, brings an energy and depth into my work which I feel helps to showcase the beauty of my subject. Visit http://www.tgramsfineart.com/ to view more works by the artist."
The title of the painting, “I was told there would be pie”, draws attention to issues related to human interaction with bears in Yosemite and in wild places across the country.
Collared Bear, Yosemite National Park. Photograph by Ryan Wharton
As one of the largest mammals in the Sierra Nevada, American black bears often attract the interest of park visitors, who observe, paint, and photograph them in Yosemite National Park. Weighing, on average, between 150 and 250 pounds, most of Yosemite's black bears are brown in color—despite their name. Seeing one of Yosemite’s 300 to 500 black bears is a special experience that can evoke excitement, awe, and sometimes fear. But what people don’t often realize is while injuries to people from bears in the Sierra are rare, it is more likely a person will cause harm to a bear by leaving food or garbage where a bear can get it, or by speeding on a mountain road.
Bears in Yellowstone, begging for food, circa 1960
With their incredible strength, curiosity, sense of smell, and hunger (consuming up to 20,000 calories in a single day when fattening up for hibernation), black bears make the best of any food source they find—but this behavior gets bears into trouble. Once bears learn to associate people or human development with food, they quickly lose their natural fear and avoidance of people, and instead approach people and destroy property in their quest to gain more food. Bears will attempt amazing acts to obtain food. They break windows, bend car-door frames, pop open camper shells, and even rip out a back seat to get food left in a trunk of a vehicle. Because these bears become comfortable getting close to people, potential safety issues often results in their being killed.
The good news is: this can all be prevented with your help! When spending time in an area with black bears, please remember to store your food and garbage properly. In Yosemite, this means storing food and trash in bear canisters in the wilderness, food lockers while camping in the front country, and bear proof trash cans. Remember that bears are active during the day too, so if you are out enjoying the park, keep your food within arm’s reach. If you do see a bear, enjoy the moment, but please give them the respect they deserve and plenty of space to roam freely and remain wild.
Introducing Jonathan Bock
“Visual artists, writers and musicians have been inspired by our area for centuries. We want to encourage contemporary artists to share new interpretations of the region, explore the issues we face, and celebrate our environment through art." - Jon Bock
Photo by David Hoffman
THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF YOSEMITE RENAISSANCE
We are pleased to introduce Jonathan W. Bock as the new executive director for Yosemite Renaissance. Jon has more than 30 years experience as an artist, art director, gallery curator and business owner. He has managed Sierra Art Trails for 15 years, growing the organization's flagship event, the annual "Sierra Art Trails Yosemite Foothills Open Studio Tour" into the largest art event in the region.
His galleries, Williams Gallery West and Stellar Gallery, represent many regional artists and artisans, as well as artists from outside the area.
Jon is very enthusiastic to pick up the torch. He has the experience and resources to move Yosemite Renaissance to a new level. He is already proving to be a wonderful asset to the organization.
“Visual artists, writers and musicians have been inspired by our area for centuries. We want to encourage contemporary artists to share new interpretations of the region, explore the issues we face, and celebrate our environment through art. We seek to excite a new generation of people to understand, preserve and protect our wild lands and natural places.”
Yosemite Renaissance 31 travels to the Carnegie Art Center, Turlock CA. August 12 - October 9th, 2016
Yosemite Renaissance provides a contemporary perspective on the century-old artistic traditions of depicting the landscape, issues and ideas surrounding Yosemite National Park.
This is your last chance to see the exhibit!
Yosemite Renaissance 31 provides a contemporary perspective on the century-old artistic traditions of depicting the landscape, issues and ideas surrounding Yosemite National Park. The traveling exhibition officially ends October 9th 2016. Don’t miss it!
On View through August 21, 2016
Matt Elson: The Infinity Boxes
Modesto native Matt Elson brings his unique works of optical mystery to the Central Valley for the first time. The Infinity Boxes explore our humanity through sight, sound and relationship. By combining mirrors, light, and color we experience kaleidoscope-like reflections. The works challenge our understanding of perception while providing an experience that becomes as much about the viewer as the art when we interact with them.
The exteriors of the “boxes” are reminiscent of 19th century carnivals. Beautiful, ornately carved and colorfully painted wood gives an aura of fun well before looking inside. While the size of each installation is not much bigger than a refrigerator, when you look inside you are immediately transported into another world. This world is so magical it can’t help but make the viewer laugh out loud. This is an exhibit that will surprise and delight everyone and is best experienced with friends and/or family. If the best art is that which evokes feelings and actively engages the audience this art is unparalleled.
These pieces have to be seen to be believed!
To see more about Matt Elson and his Infinity Boxes, click here
August 12-21: Dean De Cocker, Sculpture
D e a n D e C o c k e r
Artist Statement
My work is part of a continuing series, “Blue Jackets Return.” From the first winged-shaped structures to the current work, I have been exploring my interest in formal elements by transforming flat, two-dimensional surfaces into three-dimensional objects. I derive much of my inspiration from everyday objects such as mailboxes, aircraft structures, wings, propellers, heavy machinery and architectural works. These objects become conceptual elements, which I transform into drawings. Then, via different techniques of construction, I fabricate many objects of inner structures and outer coverings that create volumetric enclosures. In recent years, my interest in racecar fabrication and collecting vintage BMX bicycles from the 1970’s has led to subtle changes to my work’s structure and color. My work of drawings, prints and photographs come from objects that inspire me and places that I have visited that make me think about time and space. Some of my newest print/painting work involves my interest in World War I and II military ship camouflage.
The titles of my works are a result of my interest in the construction techniques of World War II aircraft and the battles fought in the South Pacific.
2016 marks 30 years that I have been an exhibiting artist, participating in over 50 solo exhibitions and over 150 group exhibitions with mention of my work in over 90 articles and reviews. I feel very lucky to have been able to make work that I enjoy and even luckier to have been able to share it with others.
Dean De Cocker, 2016
The Gallery is open: Wednesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Carnegie Arts Center: 250 N. Broadway Turlock, CA 95380 (209)-632-5761
YR 31 Travels to the Kings County Art Center, Hanford, CA
The opening reception for YR31 was held June 3rd. It was a good turnout in spite of the 93 F temperatures. Rick Whitacre from San Jose, CA and Janice Pluma, from Paso Robles CA, both exhibiting artists, traveled to Hanford to be in attendance. The visitors really appreciated having the opportunity to talk to the artists about their art.
The opening reception for YR31 was held June 3rd. It was a good turn out in spite of the 93 F temperatures. Rick Whitacre from San Jose, CA and Janice Pluma, from Paso Robles CA, both exhibiting artists, traveled to Hanford to be in attendance. The visitors really appreciated having the opportunity to talk to the artists about their art.
Rick Whitacre and his art, photography on metal, “While the Valley Sleeps”
Janice Pluma, (left) and her acrylic painting, “Vista”. Christine Obers (right), Director, Yosemite Renaissance.
John Robinson, the curator of the exhibit, did an excellent job of installing the art. The art was well positioned. The lighting was expertly done to show each piece at its best. Bruce Kane, Executive Director, Kings County Art Center, and the volunteers made everyone feel welcome. It was a wonderful addition having live music performed by Tyler Richards on the keyboard, and Martin Almaraz on the guitar.
Bruce Kane, Executive Director of the Kings County Art Center, introducing the exhibit.
Visitors admire the textile art by Denise Oyama Miller, "Yosemite Reflections”
Visitors to the exhibit
Tyler Richards on the keyboard, and Martin Almaraz on the guitar
John Robinson, curator, explains setting up the display in the Kings County Art Center.
Richard King, (far left) carefully transported the YR31 artwork from the museum gallery in Yosemite to the Kings County Art Center in Hanford.
Visitors to the exhibit
Visitors admire the pastel artwork, “Winter Wonderland” by artist David Will
Thank you to all the volunteers whose hard work made the opening reception a pleasure.
Yosemite Renaissance is very excited to share the YR31 exhibition with the Kings County art community. The exhibition will be on display till July 18th. It will then travel to the Carnegie Art Center, Turlock, CA, August 11th – October 9th.
For more information on the Kings County Art Center YR31 Exhibit contact the Kings County Art Center. Get directions to the Kings County Art Center.
Welcome to Yosemite Renaissance
For over three decades Yosemite Renaissance has encouraged and promoted diverse artistic expressions of Yosemite National Park and the surrounding area. Started in 1985 by a small group of visionaries Yosemite Renaissance was set up to continue the legacy of the great artists of the past.
For over three decades Yosemite Renaissance has encouraged and promoted diverse artistic expressions of Yosemite National Park and the surrounding area.
Started in 1985 by a small group of visionaries Yosemite Renaissance was set up to continue the legacy of the great artists of the past. Thomas A. Ayers, Albert Bierstadt, William Keith, Thomas Hill and Ansel Adams, to name just a few. Yosemite National Park was their inspiration. Their art captured the hearts and imaginations of a nation. They encouraged visitors, generated support and aided in the preservation of the park.
It is as important now as it was more than 160 years ago to continue this legacy. To encourage a new generation of artists and photographers to “dig a little deeper” to discover and express the awesome grandeur and the subtle nuances that is a part of the Yosemite experience.
Yosemite Renaissance 31, at the Yosemite Museum in 2016.
“If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.” - Edward Hopper
Art brings people together from all nations and cultures. It engages in a universal language. Through art we are able to connect with others. We are visual and tactile beings. We have an innate need to express ourselves and share our experience. Art allows us to do this. It enables us to slow down, become aware and in the moment. It can spark a thought or emotion. It can jog a memory.
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. “ - Aristotle
The audience is as important as the art. While the artist may express a personal emotion through their art the viewer creates their own experience with it. In this way art becomes interactive and a synergy is created. Whether serious or whimsical art can recreate the emotional response that reflects and reminds us of the experience we had when visiting Yosemite and the surrounding areas.
Imagination and creativity are the pathway to the future. Come join us on the journey.
Christine Obers
Director, Yosemite Renaissance
”A world without Art is a world where progress has stopped.” carts.org (A New York City based, cultural education program.)