Canyons of the Ancients National Monument: Ben McCarthy Artist in Residence

By Ben McCarthy

Hello, my name is Ben. I am an artist who has lived on Planet Earth for 23 years now, creating various forms of artwork throughout the journey—always inspired by Nature, Science, and Music. I love to play the piano, draw pictures, and continuously develop my passion for Sculpture. I was recently accepted to be one of the Artists in Residence for the Aldo & Leonardo: Canyons of the Ancients destination. I am truly honored to have been granted such an interesting and exciting opportunity. The site is one of sacred history and beauty, and I greatly look forward to absorbing the culture, landscape, and artifacts as artistic inspiration.

Along the years, my work has evolved from an instinctual creative outlet into a dedication to articulating the perception of life—collecting philosophies from great thinkers of the past and combining them with a sense of modern exploration and discovery. I have grown a distinct admiration for the artwork and architecture built by our ancient ancestors. Through this appreciation, clay has become of interest to me as a material with infinite malleability, outlasting durability, and elements of encapsulating time and human thought. Perhaps it is the historical connection of the medium that engages my pursuit to unlock a prehistoric puzzle, or maybe it is the meditative nature of the process. Lately I have been building ceramic structures that emulate the style of ancient statues revisited with a futuristic playfulness. Included is a photograph of a piece I made last week. (The clay is still drying) I have also included some images of simple, beautiful artifacts found in the Canyons.

I chose to apply for this position because of the emphasis on studying wilderness. Traversing a variety of landscapes and spending time outdoors is essential for me as an artist. Leonardo da Vinci has provided excellent ideas and illustrations that promote knowledge of the natural world and how it can influence the progress of science and engineering. I also admire Aldo Leopold's form of poetic scientific discourse, which shares his connectedness with the land in a unique way.

Plans for the residency include: taking many photos, maintaining a detailed journal and sketchbook of daily activities, creating 2D and sculptural works in spirit of the site, and maybe some musical/animated video pieces—all of which I will share afterwards via the Internet. I can hardly wait to embark on this new adventure to the Canyons of the Ancients—and am especially happy to share the experience with two other talented individuals, Leslie Sobel and Esther Rogers. A big, heartfelt "THANK YOU" to the Colorado Art Ranch, Aldo & Leonardo, and the Bureau of Land Management for this chance!!!

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Monomoy Wilderness From Above

Looking at the image of this rich, vast blue water while the rain comes down in Philadelphia:

 Thoughts while preparing for the land and waters of Monomoy 

By Elisabeth Nickles

The patterns that water makes, how it binds life on this planet, carries no judgment, nor knows its role as bringing life or destruction, it exists as a force. Masses move where they may, creep into every crevice, large and small.

The color blue, a most familiar color to the human eye, is used as a metaphor and to identify a thousand different variations of color. We rely on the abstraction of a word for color to specify a visual perception. "Is color real?" a question posed by a paleontologist in a class on vertebrate anatomy; answered: "it is real to the eye who perceives it". Some creatures see beyond the spectrum of the human eye. How can a color be described if it is beyond our visual comprehension and our verbal vocabulary?

This brings me to think of how we, as humans, see, what insight science has given us to see as the "other" creatures see and how much more we know about this earth and the cosmos because of what we can perceive with the aid of technology. Each day, there is always a possibility to bridge our connection with the natural world through the visions we encounter. How does seeing affect consciousness?

Much like the first images of the Earth from outer space, to see our home planet's sphere from above changed our collective consciousness forever. Science and technology have allowed us to see the vastness of life and continues to show us more. I can view the Monomoy Island using Google earth. I can see it in a way that did not exist not long ago. Never leaving the computer in Philadelphia,  I am seeing a wilderness that spans miles. Because technology grants us access to so much information, so quickly, we are privileged like never before, but also confined by an experience that is far from multi-dimensional.

I can see the wilderness, waters and landscape from above, I am amazed by the beauty of its design.  I can zoom in and see areas categorized, but in no way is this seeing experiential and total. I am not experiencing the wildness of the actual environment. While I hear the cars go by, sitting in a chair, I am still here, not there. My seeing is spliced in two. I am thrilled to see this place as it relates to smell, touch, weight, atmosphere, temperature and its inhabitants. Experiencing wilderness is in no way convenient, but it completes life, and its importance more relevant than ever.

The anticipation of a month steeped in perception and experience of a wild environment enchants me and reminds me for what I long.  The thought of disconnecting from speed and ease to a more physically challenging, yet slower way of seeing, creates a sensation that I can sense in my body. A solidity from head to toe, not over used from the neck up.

If our consciousness can act as a lens, zooming in and zooming out, we can be reminded of our small place in the incomprehensible span of time. The fact that we are not the center of existence has been frightening for some, fascinating for others. Still after hundreds of years,  scientific study is battled for its findings. Yet there is great comfort in merely being another organism, interacting and observing with other organisms, on this wonderful place called Earth. I look forward to sharing more from the ground and water below.

The Only Thing Constant is Change

By Megan Singleton

In preparation for our AMAZING upcoming opportunity at Monomoy Wildlife Refuge I spent the past weekend in the wilderness of Southern Missouri.  I had a new tent to test out and some interesting books about Monomoy and the Nature of Cape Cod, and I could not think of a better place to read than the rocky banks of what is known as Bear Creek.   Situated in the town of Lowndes,  population 13.

Each year I come to camp at Bear Creek the landscape has shifted, sometimes the difference is slight, other years quite drastic.  Spring flooding moves the land creating unique currents in the creek bends, exposing new rocks and driftwood to be discovered, and unveiling deposits of clay  found under the water.

As I hiked through the woods to get to the rocky bank of the creek I was thinking about the constitution of wilderness, and the first thing I noticed was the amazing diversity among the plants I was trekking through.  I stopped and just within arms reach I could count at least 15 different plants all harmoniously growing  together. Including the invasive but beautiful and  fragrant Honeysuckle. 

So as I sat on the rock bank this weekend sketching and reading about how the sea shapes, re-shapes, and moves barrier islands such as Monomoy  I contemplated in wilderness the only thing constant is change.  Whether it is Bear Creek or a Barrier Island, when nature is left to it’s own cyclical devices and not attempted to be controlled one thing is certain: Change. 

Learning from Nature

By Troy Nickle

I am very excited and grateful that I have been one of the artists selected for the Aldo & Leonardo / Colorado Art Ranch residency at the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota. I feel there is something profound in learning about nature, exploring the landscape and the intuitive connections between science and art. This will be my second residency with the pairing of science and art in mind. Last spring, I had the opportunity to spend a month at Beauvais Lake Provincial Park in southern Alberta, Canada. The project was in collaboration with Alberta Parks, the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, the Field Notes Collective and the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society. During the residency I was involved in creating an art activity for a grade 5 wetland field study. I would also take part in leading the field study where students would learn about the ecosystem, animal adaptations, the available water on land and the importance of wetlands. While in the park I began to develop a deep appreciation for the landscape and the rich diversity of flora and fauna while taking hikes, developing artwork and making site sensitive interventions within the park. I am looking forward to learning about The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and making new connections ahead. I think nature can be one of our greatest teachers and I am so excited to be able to work with two other talented artists, Katherine Ball and Anaya Cullen. I am somewhat embarrassed by the fact that I have not been east of Saskatchewan / Montana so this will be a time of discovery and exploring new terrain. I am very interested in responding creatively to the new knowledge learned through helping conduct research, exploring, and the overall experience. I look forward to embarking on this journey with the many other talented artists, scientists and explorers, past and present, who have instilled in us creativity, adventure, discovery and a sense of wonder. As Albert Einstein said, " Look deep into nature, then you will understand everything better."

"Wow!"

erogerscello.com

By Esther Rogers

"So I would like to offer you this residency," the voice on the phone said. He was calling from somewhere in the mountains in Colorado, and I was pacing the hallway in the atrium outside Rochester Contemporary School of Music in upstate New York. "WOW! That's so exciting!" was about all I could get out in response. The phone crackled. About to lose reception again...

My name is Esther and I am a free-lance cellist from Rochester, NY.  It's 12:01AM my time, just barely June 8... It's the middle of the week-end, and as a musician that means its the middle of my work week. This particular week-end includes:

-attending incredible performances at the International Society of Bassists being held in Rochester this year

and coachings from guest bass artists on 'Western Lands' for string bass and cello by Stefano Scodanibbio

-teaching cello lessons

-performing in the Rochester Women's Philharmonic fundraiser concert

-leading an arts exploration work-shop for 5-12 year olds

-making a Kinkos print visit for promotional post cards for an upcoming show

It is a running here and there kind of free-lance week-end. Catching up with emails in-between and taking care of a friend's dog.

So how did a classical cellist in Rochester connect with the Aldo and Leonardo project?

It all started with a blind search for residencies about a year and a half ago. I sent an email to the Colorado Art Ranch to inquire and found out that there weren't any openings. Over the winter I received an email asking me to apply for a wilderness and arts collaboration and I couldn't believe it. While I do a lot of traditional gig work, I have a passion for collaboration and response-work. That is, I love to work together with people on projects and to create new artistic work out of that relationship, and I also love to create performance pieces which respond/relate/react to a topic or idea. I also happen to love the outdoors and hiking, so I couldn't believe my eyes! I applied, and now, here I am, carving out some time in my cello world to start to seep in this new project; begin the adventure of new connections, new work, a new environment, to take place in (paradoxically), the Canyon of the Ancients. I'm thrilled! 

Going to the desert

By Leslie Sobel

I am thrilled to be part of the Art + Science + Wilderness residencies sponsored by Aldo & Leonardo - Colorado Art Ranch’s collaborative residencies with the Aldo Leopold Society pairing artists with scientists in wilderness settings.  I will be spending the month of September at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument along with two other artists - sculptor Ben McCarthy and cellist/composer Esther Rogers.  You can see my work here.

My son asked me today how I would pair my main medium - encaustic - with field work in the desert.  The answer is sequentially!  In the field I’ll draw, do water color studies, keep a journal and shoot a lot of pictures.  Back home in the studio those sources will become finished pieces.  Right now I envision a series of bas relief sculptures and encaustic monotypes but we’ll see how the experience shapes my work.

I’m looking forward to doing some studying to get ready to go.  I’ve spent a lot of time in the desert southwest but this particular park is new to me and has an astonishing number of Ancestral Puebloan sites.  I expect to learn a lot.  It’s a tremendous experiential gift to spend a good chunk of time in the desert and I’m looking forward to it immensely.

Looking Ahead

By Jeremy Underwood

The residency on Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge is just a few weeks away and I feel my anticipation building.  As I make my way to the East Coast and the more densely populated area of the country, I can’t help but contemplate how we negotiate the natural world in a contemporary society.  I recently read that human beings now have a larger impact on the landscape than rain, a testament to the influence of man on this world. 

I’ve posted an image of a photo I took the other day on my travels that details a polluted stream next to an old coalmine.  It reminded me the importance of environmental stewardship in this world.  The Aldo & Leonardo Residency is one piece of that puzzle and I am excited to be a part of it.