NATURE WALKS AND SIGNAGE

Carmel Mountain Signage

Carmel Mountain Preserve, a mesa top overlooking Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is rich in ecological wonders, from vernal pools to one of the last undeveloped stands of coastal maritime chaparral. Originally slated for development, most of the area was preserved through the hard work of the Carmel Mountain Conservancy. As described below, I worked with local environmental groups to create the initial signs in 2006. I created more signs, one of which is shown here, funded by the Chaparral Lands Conservancy, as part of their restoration work, in 2015.

 Reflections on Arroyo Seco

Imagine a pond in Los Angeles, under a freeway overpass, surrounded by willows, and formed by water diverted from a concrete flood control channel in the hopes of restoring riparian habitat. Here, I created a temporary place for people to come and reflect on their hopes and dreams in relationship to the contradictions embodied in the pond. I spent a full day by myself first, just sitting, watching, listening and photographing all of the animals I saw. The more I sat, the more I discovered. Looking into the water through the macro-lens I noticed that some of the "rocks" were actually small snails or worms.

For the installation, I cleaned out the trash, hung small viewers with slides showing details of the small animals I found living in the pond and environs, and left a book for people to write their reflections. I also made small boats of dried leaves and cast them, like one casts wishes, into the water. Initially I imagined that they would clump in the thicket of cattails blocking the southern end of the pond. A fitting metaphor for Los Angeles, I thought--too many dreams confined in too small a basin. But on the day I returned to put them in the water, the stream was so low that most of were marooned in the mud. Perhaps this was even a better metaphor for the parched region than I had initially planned.

Shown below are some of the images in the slide viewers, followed by a photo/text piece about the leaf boats.

 San Bernardino Children’s Forest Interpretive Trail

In Children's Forest, a part of San Bernardino National Forest located east of Los Angeles, youth are charged sharing the forest's treasures with the many regional visitors. These five panels, each 24"x34," are digitally composed from drawings and stories generated from workshops I conducted with area youth. They are placed along an interpretive trail of the youth's design. Each panel is covered with etched plexiglass, providing for a surface to make rubbings and accessibility for the visually handicapped. The trail is located off highway 18 just past Running Springs. I also worked with youth the created an indoor mural at the visitor center and an Explorer Guide to the forest.