Notes and Poems Inspired by the Event
"I am always deeply moved by your work and the creativity that you inspire in other people. It's like you create the space to allow what they have inside to pour forth. And at the same time, you make it fun and easy to participate."
- Diane Dew "I would like to express my deep thanks and gratitude for your taking the time to organize the 2007 Earth Day at Stinson. My son Fynn and I absolutely loved our experience there and we were moved by the community of artists and friends of nature gathered at the event. It was a transcendental experience for us, as we built stone monuments in the rain and experienced the deep community feel of the event. Somehow, five hours passed in a heartbeat as we created organic art in the rising tide. "I really appreciated your passion for the work of all the artists; it is clear you are deeply connected to art, nature, and the intersection of the two. My four-year-old son had a wonderful time and he was absolutely enthralled by the event. He could have built stone statues in the rain until the middle of the night. "Thanks again for putting on such a lovely event. We will be back next year for sure. Please know that organizing an event like this pays for itself in the form of lasting memories. You have helped create memories of art and nature for all who participated." - Peter Seeger "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Ansel and I had a magical day at Stinson. He absolutely loved it and so did I! When we got in the car he wanted to come back and give you chocolates. He connected with you very quickly, which he doesn't do with everyone. He said, 'I want to do what Zach does when I grow up. I want to do that kind of art.' "I thank you very much for holding this event, which has brought me to another passion! We are moving to a new house in a couple of weeks. There is a nice size front yard and a pretty big garden/patio area in the back. Ansel and I talked all the way back about creating art in these spaces using nature. We can't wait to bring a sense of peace to our new home...and liveliness too! "We will come to this event every year! Great day! We look forward to viewing the pics." - Abbie and Ansel "Thank you for putting together the Earth Day nature art celebration! I came with my almost 7-year-old granddaughter who had a great time building things in the sand, and was very pleased that you photographed her. When we came home, we went to your website and looked through your whole gallery. When that was done, she walked quietly into the living room, went to the basket of nature stuff (cones, seeds, stones, etc.) on the coffee table, and built a wonderful construction of pods and cones and stones. I wish I had a camera so I could show you. You clearly made a real impression. She is eagerly awaiting your photos of this year's event on the website." - Diana King "Please continue to spread your wonderful energy around." - Tracy Brown |
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Grains of sand Tossed onto the beach Meld with wood, rock Shell and seaweed. Temporary landfall Between mysterious Journeys drifting Out to sea. - Isaac Alfandary 4/22/06 Building the Stone Sculpture the balance is achieved through careful even tedious effort you try one plane then another paying no heed to the improbable angles that present themselves your only intuition the bare confirmation of fact of stone motionless on stone your hand hold holds holds the rock giving it time to accept its place or not to breathe into its situation as you must too or your hand begins to tremble like Babel it is an artifact not of nature but a mind grown larger than the world that first achieved its crazy balance unlike Babel it carries a beauty not meant to endure -Freeman Ng 4/23/05 [We honor the earth not ourselves during our event; we acknowledge the force of nature and the power of time by making ephemeral artwork. An unwise king with a different view is mocked in the poem below.] Ozymandias [We honor the earth not ourselves during our event; we acknowledge the force of nature and the power of time by making ephemeral artwork. An unwise king with a different view is mocked in this Percy Bysshe Shelley poem recited by Alvin at our 2005 event] I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed. And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away. - Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1817 Alvin reciting the poem Ozymandius
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