Chasing sunsets

Originally published July 30, 2017

I've been studying up in order to catch tonight's sunset. I learned that tonight in Minneapolis, it will set at 8:41pm at 297 degrees Northwest. 

I know of this hidden little 'bench' off of the beaten path in one of the parks where I hike frequently. It's actually just a couple of logs put together on the side of a deer trail. But, it sits on a ridge that overlooks the northwest, so I'm going to go sit and watch the sun go down. Sounds relaxing, right? 

Post hike: Well, it turns out that this bench will make a great spot to catch a winter sunset, not a sunset in July. It faces too far south and is much more overgrown than it was earlier this spring the last time I visited. So, unfortunately, I missed the best part of tonight's sky. At least I caught a sweet look at the moon, though. 

I started a log to record the direction of potential viewing spots so that I'll know what times of the year will be ideal to watch the start or end of the day.

Time-lapse of Silent Search - No. 80

Originally posted July 18, 2017

I painted Silent Search - No. 80 over the course of spring and summer 2017, and this video shows a glimpse into my process creating these gradient paintings. 

Why Mono-tasking is the new Multitasking

Originally published July 17, 2017

Bill Nye may be best known for his PBS children's show, Bill Nye the Science Guy, but has also been an incredible champion for science and involving the public in discussions about climate change.

In a recent article, here, he shares his thoughts on multitasking, information overload, and getting things done for real. "...If you want to be an effective agent of change, you also need to filter your sense of urgency." Nye talks about his new book, Everything All At Once, and using relentless curiosity to help solve not only climate change but any of society's future problems.

Read the whole article here. It's worth your time. 

“...If you want to be an effective agent of change, you also need to filter your sense of urgency.”

— Bill Nye

And, if you want some fun home science demos, check out his website at www.billnye.com.

The Self-Drive in Botswana

Originally published July 15, 2017

I finally put together a tiny video from our self-drive trip through Botswana in 2015 using the footage I took with my iPhone while we were driving. It's not super exciting with wildlife, but it shows how crazy the two-track roads are throughout the country. I totally miss this place!

Life lessons from Physics

Originally posted May 29, 2017

“Our reality is tears and laughter, gratitude and altruism, loyalty and betrayal, the past that haunts us and serenity. Our reality is made up of our societies, of the emotion inspired by music, of the rich intertwined networks of the common knowledge that we have constructed together. All of this is part of the self-same “nature” that we are describing. We are an integral part of nature; we are nature, in one of its innumerable and infinitely variable expressions. This is what we have learned from our ever-increasing knowledge of the things of this world.

”That which makes us specifically human does not signify our separation from nature; it is part of that self-same nature. It’s a form that nature has taken here on our planet, in the infinite play of its combinations, through reciprocal influencing and exchanging of correlations and information among its parts.”

— Carlo Rovelli - Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

The breath of the prairie

Originally published May 20, 2017

The Arctic Circle

Originally published April 12, 2017

I can't contain my excitement any longer- I'm so happy to have the opportunity to say that I will be a part of an expedition to the Arctic in 2018. More details to come in the next couple of months!

Image: The Farm, Inc.

Psychology and our changing environment

Originally published April 19, 2017

It turns out that fear and guilt aren't helpful when talking about climate change. UCLA's Climate Lab video shows how phsychology factors into how we respond to the threat of environmental change. We are social creatures, but we also want to see evidence of our impact.

Check out more info here: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/climate-lab

You never know what you'll get in April

Originally published April 11, 2017

One of the first specific memories I have of being aware of the nuances of weather was one Easter Sunday when I was maybe 5 years old or so. My mom and grandma and I went to the Como Conservatory, and I was all dressed up in my pink Easter dress with matching pink bow in my hair.

On this single day, I remember seeing almost every form of weather - it rained, it snowed, was windy, then sunny... maybe even a rainbow thrown in for good measure. When I think of April in Minnesota, this is what I think of. 

You never know what you'll get. And, you might even get it all in one day.

Untitled Weather - No. 7, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 24" x 24"

It was experiences like this day, along with our everyday interaction with weather that inspired the Free Time paintings. Weather is a powerful form of our planetary system that makes us realize that we are intrinsically connected with this world. Cycles of water and atmosphere that nourish us and the land can also damage us as well. 

I'm fascinated by weather and look forward to observing it intently, not just in April. 

How do Americans feel about Climate Change?

The New York Times posted an article on March 21, 2017 that showed through a series of six maps that, in general, Americans believe that global warming is happening and that carbon emissions should be cut.

The article, "How Americans Feel About Climate Change, in Six Maps," was based on research done by Yale University in a 2016 study. Check out the full set of interactive maps here. The results are fascinating, and you can even see detail down to the state and county level.

I'm really interested to see if this study is done again and how Americans feel about climate change in 2017, if anything has changed.

Image: Yale Climate Opinion Maps - U.S. 2016, Link: http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us-2016/