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.)