I am very blessed to be taking part in a very unique conservation art show. This event is dedicated to celebrating an environment that was nearly lost to a poorly planned development.  A citizens group from Richmond was one of the few advocates for protecting the Richmond shoreline. In what I would call the Golden Age of conservation in the Bay Area, most conservation organizations either supported developing the shoreline into a casino or quietly refused to comment. Conservation as a greater entity failed. I was angry, sad, and broken as I worked on this project as both a photographer and a conservation biologist.

The East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society was one of the few groups that continue to believe that development of this shoreline was ill conceived. Although EBCNPS can be an ornery group, they wield character when the going gets tough. In essence, the developer bought the voices of some of the most most iconic conservation organizations of our day. I’m not going to point any fingers, but these groups know who they are and hopefully we will learn about this episode so this never happens again.

This art show celebrates some of the aspects of the unique Point Molate area. It reaffirms what this small, dedicated group of people knew: there is a great beauty and potential in this area. Visit the Citizens for a Sustainable Point Molate here at www.cfspm.org

This is a little personal project that helps me get into the emotional space that Point Molate helps create. Think quiet and dampness and soft edges with great texture. Think about how a few dedicated people changed a peninsula.

I hope to see you there tonight at the Richmond Bridge Art Space at 23 Maine St. Here’s a PDF book with a collection of images and some words about Point Molate.

Quick update [6/21/13]:

Lech with winning Point Molate photo – Yay!

The second photo of this blog was selected as the Most Iconic image of Pt. Molate by the competition judge. I am honored and flattered given that so much great work was presented by fabulous and involved artists. It was presented as a 39″ canvas print inside a wooden frame created of found wood (some from Point Molate).