Coastal Cleanup 2023

September 23, 2023:

We were feeling lonesome for the beach but since we did not know how Judith would be feeling post-radiation, (the doctor warned of fatigue and irritable skin), we did not sign up for any Coastal Cleanup Day events. We thought we could instead participate from home with a recounting of our many recent and up and coming exhibitions and our online presence.

All worries were for naught. When she completed her treatment she was absolutely glowing, she rang the bell— a signal of an important milestone in her cancer journey. Since it was Friday there was lots of bell ringing as many other patients were also celebrating the completion of treatment.

Although cancer has been in mind these last few months, we’ve nevertheless continued to say “YES” to the opportunities that have come our way.

NOW and UP and COMING

Our Trash Castle poles were standing tall when EAC volunteers gathered before going out for Litter Bugs Me and for Coastal Cleanup Day events. Both efforts focus on the wildlife and habitats of our watershed. Groups adopt a roadway, beach, or creek in coastal Marin and clean up after the busy tourist summer season, and before the first winter rains. 

Even though it's been a fraught time with Judith’s surgery and all, we soldiered on with our project at The Guardhouse, a point-counterpoint installation of a pile of “all of it” with our beach plastic soldiers on the march. In a play with the military history of Fort Mason, we showcased the fight against plastic.

https://guardhouse2023.wordpress.com/

On October 7 we offer our print Kouros at the Heart of the Valley Gala silent auction benefit for our beloved San Geronimo Valley Community Center. The bidding starts at $100. and goes up from there. All proceeds to the SGVCC.

Our Sashay of balloons will be taking over the foyer at the ODC theater for Lobby Night opening on November 3. We will be dancing a jig in this fun and casual setting. Snacks! Drinks! Dance!

Opening December 2 at 120710, an exciting new experimental venue in Berkeley. Curator Francisco Baker writes, “I am in the process of curating an upcoming art exhibit centered around the urgent theme of climate change. This exhibit aims to provoke thought, inspire change, and challenge the conventional narrative through the power of visual art.”

We are thrilled to finally be able to realize RIDE-ON first envisioned in 2018 as part of Extraction: Art on the Edge of the Abyss. We’ve long been pondering about how to extract a powerful statement about the relationship between the pumping of oil and the manufacture of plastic. A replica of an ATV gas guzzler on top of a pile of trash just might be the ah-ha and the ta-da.

https://guardhouse2023.wordpress.com/

At The Guardhouse we were challenged by the extraordinary opportunity to mount an exhibit in a special place and engage with passersby of all stripes.

Although the time for our installation has concluded, as a repository for pics and posts we've established a blog where we’ll continue to fight the good fight.

https://guardhouse2023.wordpress.com/

A’ten hut!!!

 

Our Coastal Climate

In conjunction with the Environmental Action Committee's latest exhibit Our Coastal Climate our Trash Castle poles will be on display on Third Street in Point Reyes Station until mid-September. Mounted on the fence that edges the picnic area of the exciting new foodie hub they herald the West Marin Culture Shop that is home to Wild West Ferments, Farmer's Wife, and Canteen Meats. Yummmmm!!!

In the altar alcove, David Best's Our Lady of the Harbor, is a memorial to a child who drowned in Papermill Creek and to all children whose lives have been cut short. A guiding light, the Virgin Mary statue stands tall as the Star of the Sea, guarding our planet waters from the plastic debris that imperils all.

And not to be missed, while you are in the hood, do stop in to see the exhibit in the EAC offices and learn about their many initiatives and how you can participate.

The Guardhouse

 

We've created a blog where we post about our project at The Guardhouse, Fort Mason. 

To keep up to date HERE.

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CREATE A FREE WEBSITE OR BLOG AT WORDPRESS.COM.

UP ↑

World WEEK

With the Western Weekend parade on Sunday 6/4/23, World Environment Day on Monday 6//5/23 and World Oceans Day on Thursday 6/8/23, we are naming it World Week for all we have to celebrate about this World Planet. We're happy that there’s been lots of press about us and One Beach Plastic. 

On Sunday June 4, it was a Trash Castle triumph as the team from EAC paraded down Main Street in PRS for Western Weekend. EAC posted pics on their Facebook and on  Instagram.

By late afternoon the TC was right back in place on the corner of SFD and Lagunitas and was standing tall for World Environment Day - it’s on the map - the theme this year #BeatPlasticPollution.

Thanks to Cory van Gelder, our very local Stone Soup published her story about our story and our work with the Greenstichers. Our wedding photo on the cover and How Trash Became a Valley Love Story on pg 6.

Sharon McDonnell interviewed Richard for the summer issue of  OnWisconsin his alumni magazine. It's just One Word: Plastics Go Badgers!!!

Marine Traffic in Athens, Greece is an international is a maritime analytics provider, which provides real-time information on the movements of ships and the current location of ships in harbors and ports. Their blog that keeps track of transport on land and sea stories for World Environment Day the blog highlighted us. 

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Climate Coach

Michael Cohen, Climate Coach columnist for the Washington Post wrote about his efforts to buy everything used - Why we should buy everything used. He was successful with most but lamented his inability to find a pair of used wet suit gloves. So Judith quick sent him a pic and a note about our collection of gloves.

Dear Michael,

Your difficulty in finding a used wet suit glove to buy caught my eye. We are hoping that one from our collection of gloves that have washed ashore on to Kehoe Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore might just fit. Since 1999 my husband and I have been gleaning plastic from 1000 yards of that one beach. We describe our project as "shopping for plastic."  We are not cleaning the beach but we are curating the beach, since some of what we find we put to reuse in our daily life and most we put to use in our artwork. https://www.beachplastic.com

Best,

Judith and Richard

Michael responded with our pic with a post in his column. Scroll down to read his feature Field Sample.

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Western Weekend

In Point Reyes Station, June 3-4, it was the 75th "Western Weekend" — a two-day village wide celebration of West Marin's rural roots. The parade kicked off with huge rounds of applause as the procession of fire engines and emergency vehicles along with the sheriff’s mounted posse on horse back passed by, lest we forget how much we appreciate their quick-to-the-rescue services. For rural roots, for the dairy cow gals, a massive pure bred no-bull bull strutted his stuff. We heard tell, worth $40,000!  There were the stalwart non-profits folks who make this place better for all — Coastal Marin Fund, Lions Club, West Marin Community Services. 

Thanks to Morgan Patton, executive director of the Environmental Action Committee, and a cadre of kids and adults our Trash Castle poles were marched down Main Street. What an art-in-action performance!

Everyone loves a parade!

Everything goes better with bagpipes!

The EAC made sure that everyone got the message:

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