#salt marshes

[maureen2musings]

Nils Leonhardt

[nutnoce]

“These Were Salt Marshes Before” (2024)

11in x 14in acrylic on recycled canvas

“These Were Salt Marshes Before” was submitted and accepted by the SAA for the 18th Inspired by the PEM show! The reception went really well. I gained a lot of insight speaking with various artists about their pieces and how 'Our Time on Earth' inspired them.

In the case of this piece, it is inspired by the instant sense of calm 'Our Time on Earth' presents as one enters the exhibit. It’s The first instruction for the exhbit is to stop and breath. As I did so, I imagined a time when the place I stood was a coastal wetland. An type of ecosystem which once thrived along the East Coast of North America, rich in biodiversity and crucial for the region's ecological balance. However, centuries of urbanization and industrialization have devastated these wetlands, with many drained, filled, or paved over for development. Pollution from urban runoff and industry has further harmed remaining habitats. Only fragments of wetlands remain, threatened by sea-level rise, erosion, and ongoing development. Despite these challenges, recognizing the importance of wetlands as barriers against extreme weather and climate change, as well as their role in carbon storage, offers hope for their preservation. Protecting and restoring coastal wetlands not only safeguards biodiversity but also aids in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide, contributing to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this train of thought I was not plunged into the usual dread over the future of our planet. It speaks to to power of these exhibits (and to media as well) that can address the biggest issue on the planet but still have radical, thoughtful, careful hope.

[legionnaireslover]

The private viewing of Salt of the Earth was held tonight and BC was there to support Sophie. Just lovely!

[kvetch19]

[spinus-pinus]

Belding's Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi

6/12/2023 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, California

[splashypaint]

Watercolour of marshland.

[pixelcurious]

[aisphotostuff]

A Ruffled Oystercatcher on a windy Morning @ Thornham Estuary Norfolk Coast by Adam Swaine Via Flickr: The Oystercatcher is a large, stocky, black and white wading bird. It has an orange-red bill and reddish-pink legs. In flight it shows a wide, white wing-stripe, a black tail and a white rump that extends as a 'V' between the wings. Because it eats cockles, the population is vulnerable if cockle beds are overfished. They breed on almost all UK coasts. During the last 50 years, more birds have started breeding inland. Most UK birds spend the winter on the coast where they are joined on the east coast by birds from Norway.

[themonsterthing]

Sunrise, sunset / swiftly go the days SF then Muir Woods then Mt Tam

[fl-shrike-dyke]

Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, FL

Not pictured: the juvenile bald eagle that the pair in the last picture were supervising, the 5 or 6 belted kingfishers we saw, and the Atlantic stingray we made friends with that kept visiting our beached kayak.

(I was not brave enough to bring my camera on the kayak so these were taken on mine and my partner’s cellphones)

November, 2024

[icm-art]

Salt Marsh, Southern California

35mm Fuji Film 400

[wikipediapictures]

South Carolina Lowcountry

[gingerbredman1989]

Blond Bodybuilder kayaking in the salt marshes of the Inner Banks of North Carolina.

Bing AI Image Create

[cursecleaver]

bull island, ireland

[eddard-danson-thirdofhisname]

Adventures in Fieldwork

Sometimes you wake up at 2:45am to go band birds, and you only get two Seaside Sparrows. But you get to watch the sun come up over the salt marsh and there's Clapper Rails taking baths in the river and this bright orange dragonfly lands on your pinky. And suddenly waking up early is worth it.