Two more reasons to attend Wade in the Water

It's nearly April, which means it's nearly May, which means it's nearly time for our seventh artposium, Wade in the Water...May 21-23rd in Salida, Colorado. Still not sure about coming? Let's consider two more reasons you'll want to attend:

1. Author Craig Childs will be presenting...

2. And, so will Colorado Supreme Court Justice and poet/author Greg Hobbs

The New York Times called Craig Childs “a modern-day desert father.” He has spent years in the American Southwest canyon country, exploring the geography and the implications of water’s presence and absence. He was also a river guide. Childs has published more than a dozen acclaimed books on nature, science, and adventure, including House of Rain and The Secret Knowledge of Water. His rugged, spontaneous outdoor experiences inform his writing and his life. Childs is currently in Chile where he will be joining a documentary crew on the Baker River, which is threatened by major dam proposals. “We came to the Aisén region of Patagonia to take a look for ourselves and to record what are, we hope, not the last years of free-flowing water,” Childs recently wrote on his blog. Childs is sure to be an entertaining and enlightening speaker. Visit his website: http://houseofrain.com and his blog: http://www.houseofrain.com/rantsandwritings.cfm?mode=group&id=writings

Greg Hobbs has called attention to water as a scarce resource artistically and professionally, with a law career spanning 25 years. He is Vice-President of the Colorado Foundation for Water Education, Co-Convener of Dividing the Waters (the Western Water Judges Project), and is a three-decade veteran of water law. Hobbs is also an accomplished author and poet, with his works including In Praise of Fair Colorado- The Practice of Poetry, History, and Judging, Colorado Mother of Rivers- Water Poems, and The Public’s Water Resource- Articles on Water Law, History, and Culture. Hobbs' unique perspective will give Wade attendees a peek into the complexity of water issues.

We hope to see you in Salida!

Samantha

***Follow our blog and receive a special discount on Wade in the Water registration! Enter the code "blog" when you register online at http://coloradoartranch.org/current.htm (click register online on the right) or https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=cf3320 ***

Artist Basia Irland at Wade in the Water

Hello, Blogosphere! Seeing as this is my first post for the Colorado Art Ranch blog, let me introduce myself. My name is Samantha, and I’m the new PR and Marketing Intern here at the Ranch. I’m so excited to be a part of this great non-profit. I grew up in Steamboat, so rural Colorado has a special place in my city-girl heart. I can’t wait to attend our upcoming Artposium, Wade in the Water, in Salida. Mark your calendars for a great, artsy time: May 21^st-23^rd.

If you’ve been following our blog and our goings on, you already know a little bit about Wade in the Water. But here’s a quick recap for those just now visiting. Wade in the Water will be a weekend of water-themed disscussions, workshops and lectures held in the lovely town of Salida, named one of Outside Magazine’s “Dream Towns & Adventure Hideouts.” Exciting guest speakers will entertain and enthrall and we’ll get a fresh look at the way we see, use, enjoy, and control our water.

“Water and Eco Artist” Basia Irland is one of our featured guest speakers. Irland is Professor Emerita at University of New Mexico, and one of the world’s foremost water-based artist-activist-thinkers. She’s a sculptor and installation artist, a poet and book artist, and an activist in water issues. Her efforts include building rainwater-harvesting systems, community building along river corridors, and creating “ice books” embedded with seeds to foster plant growth along rivers.

What most excites me about Irland are her otherworldly ice books. They are stunning in a simple, elegant way. Water is a beautiful medium, and Irland proves her ability to harness it with these “books” that look like they’re made of glass, with “text” written through seeds. Besides their natural beauty, they serve a functional purpose (and in my opinion art that is functional AND beautiful gets extra points): as the book melts in the river, the seeds float away, distributing themselves downstream and along the banks. Irland says on her website, “I work with stream ecologists, biologists, and botanists to ascertain the best seeds for each specific riparian zone. When the plants regenerate and grow along the bank, they help sequester carbon, hold the banks in place, and provide shelter for riverside creatures.”

Can’t wait to hear more from Basia Irland at Wade in the Water. Check out her website at http://www.basiairland.com. Register for the event at http://coloradoartranch.org/current.htm, or https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=cf3320. Follow our blog and receive a discount on registration…just use the coupon code “blog” at checkout. See you there!

---Samantha

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