African American Landscape Artists - The Highwaymen
Twenty-six African American landscape artists of Florida were known as "The Highwaymen". These men (and a few women!) painted their native Florida landscape and would evolve to become a social group of itinerant artists who ventured along local Florida highways (hence their name) to sell works to hotels and businesses for $25 a piece.
The original artist, Alfred Hair, was introduced to the art world by white artist A.E. “Bean” Backus in the 1950's. Bean encouraged Hair to sell his works, which was a very challenging feat for black artists in the racialized South. But Hair's passion for making landscape art was persistent -- and infectious. He encouraged several of his friends to paint. Together, these self taught artists produced hundreds of pieces over time out of their backyards and garages. Made of inexpensive and practical materials, these works were an important source of livelihood for the artists until demand for their plein air works fell off.
Monday's Bottom Line
This is the first in a series of "Bottom Lines" that compare the cost of popular family activities to less expensive outdoor options.
As you plan your summer fun, think about this:
A day outing at Six Flags, two adults/two children costs: $175*
(NOT including gas/toll, incidental purchases, and food)
Afternoon hike at a local park, two adults/two children costs: $20
(INCLUDES the cost of packed lunches and possible parking/park fees)
*source Six Flags website
The Outdoor Date
One of my single friends, bored by the movie/dinner/drinks hustle, wondered how dating and the great outdoors might go together. Based on some observations and experiences from when I was both dating and married, ideas came easy. So here are just a few outdoorsy thoughts for a date or if you are single and looking to mingle!
Climbing Gym
People who go to climbing gyms also tend to get out on real rocks too. Alternately, it’s great for people who want to try rock climbing without as many risks. And there is something pretty sexy about showing off your muscular prowess to a suitor. Coupled with lunch, it’s an excellent daytime date!
Picnic
I know this seems SO obvious, but people don't go as often as they should. If you’re not the cooking type, just head to a local deli, grab sandwiches, sides, drinks; bring along a blanket for sitting -- there is just nothing like enjoying a meal with someone you care about outdoors in beautiful surroundings. Alternately, you can go solo and savor some quiet time alone. Don't forget to take your trash with you!
Walk or Hike
I suggest heading to a local public garden. The Botanic Garden in Berkeley’s Tilden Park is an outdoor museum that represents California’s diverse landscape. Temperatures can be very cool to very warm as you move along the trails and changing foliage. And there are also a few scenic places to stop and enjoy a bite to eat.
Bike Ride
Even if you don’t own a bike, rentals are a cool option available at local bike stores or companies like this one in San Francisco. If possible, pick a flat paved trail off the road for a leisurely ride and easy conversation. Helmets required!
I’d love to revisit this topic in the future with other suggestions, so please leave a comment to share your outdoor adventures spent with (or looking for) a loved one!
How did an Oakland girl like me come to love getting her camp on anyway? Pt. 2
Part 1
So every other weekend, until I became a teen, was spent in the country. And while I now see the value of my time there, I distinctly recall lots of boredom in an era that pre-dated ubiquitous cable TV, video, and phone technology. But boredom was what actually propelled me and my playmates to invent games, songs, and dances against the backdrop of the country during the day. Nights were often spent around a large fireplace with family members; swapping tales, playing board games, or a producing "talent shows" for the adult's amusement.
Back in Oakland, I received a more formal outdoor education with the Girl Scouts and loved our frequent retreats to the many local parks and youth camps. However, as a too-cute-for-the-woods teen, I abandoned my commitment to outdoor activities and did not reconnect with the natural world until I was a young adult living in San Francisco.
In the City, parking limitations and aggressive ticketing practices made owning a car impractical. So bicycling became my primary form of transportation and at the same time my outdoorsy room mates introduced me to extended bike treks to camp or to hike along the coast. I even tried out mountaineering for the first time with Outward Bound (see title photo), where I learned the fundamentals of mountain climbing and the life lesson to “trust my feet”.
Part 3
How did an Oakland girl like me come to love getting her camp on anyway?
Well, let’s start at the beginning… my adoptive parents were older Texas and Louisiana natives who migrated west for work and relief from Jim Crow during the 1940’s. While they thrived in Oakland, they chose to stay connected to their land-loving southern roots and life based on the philosophy of “mother wit”. So they built a rural retreat for the family in an undeveloped part of Lower Lake, just south of Clear Lake and 100 miles north of Oakland.
Our place at “The Lake” sat on six acres of land, which anchored a modest family home, and intermittently farmed horses, cows, goats, pigs, and chickens. My folks also kept a large garden plot equal to the square footage of the living space, producing "organic" vegetables year-round. On the remaining acreage, dozens of orderly English walnut trees grew that generated a modest revenue, but in the summer heat, many other trees and vines strained heavily with ripe peaches, plums, and grapes.
Part 2
Wanted: African-American Campers
A Seattle Times article from 2005 explores why blacks are not camping in this Pacific Northwest region with 250, 000 acres of parkland.
"One former ranger, who worked at Deception Pass and other state parks that each hosted up to 400,000 visitors a year, reported seeing fewer than 50 blacks over a 10-year period"
National Parks: Hidden Historical Treasures
I wish I could tell some folks to simply throw on some hiking boots and GO, but there are historical and social influences that keep many African Americans estranged from the natural environment. So why is it that African Americans consider the outdoors for others and not for themselves?
I came across this National Parks site that does a decent job of describing the different relationship people of color have with the natural world. While African Americans may appreciate the majesty of the Grand Canyon, or the sublime beauty of Yosemite, it is a challenge to view these spaces as our own and make them a priority to visit.
Another page of the site tackles this issue head on and lists a number of preserved sites that are designated because of people of color. One site local to the Bay Area is The San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park that memorializes the heroic, late 19th Century African American seaman William T. Shorey, (pictured above) who eventually lived out his days in Oakland.
Carolyn Finney: Bringing blacks into the Environmental Conversation
I saw this article over a year ago on the Berkeley website and just remembered it as an appropriate share for this blog.
Like myself, Berkeley geographer Carol Finney took the non-traditional path to an undergraduate education and was deeply influenced by both her parent's relationship to land and her own extensive travel.
Finney believes that contemporary environmental values are not new for African Americans, who have had long agricultural and familial ties to land in this country. She believes that America's environmental stories, such as those told by John Muir and others, "edit out" the African American experience, and the current environmental movement continues a tradition of leaving African Americans out of the conversation.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Antionette Cooks sent me the following note and picture:
"...pictures were taken in Elk Grove, Ca from my balcony over looking Laguna creek. The rainbow stretched above the creek.
Rue the creek is wonderful... I will take other pictures and send you the trees in bloom on a sunny day... maybe I can even catch the beavers ..."
Here is fine example of nature appreciation right in your own backyard. Thanks Antionette!
Local Redwood Forests
Cooling off and calming down with the family (or your honey) could not be easier this summer than taking a stroll in a shady, local Redwood grove, where temperatures can dip 10-15 degrees lower than their nearby urban centers. Our local Redwood beauties have been around for hundreds of years and are now protected to ensure their survival and service to the local ecology. Their austere presence is found amazingly close and accessible from the craze of metropolitan life.
In the valley just beyond the Oakland Hills is Redwood Park, which is a part of the East Bay Regional Parks District. Trails are paved and mostly flat for walking or casual bike riding. There is also a fantastic play structure as well as reservable spots for parties.
Across the bay in Marin County is the stunning Muir Woods, which is a designated monument of the National Parks Service and named after conservationalist John Muir. Here, you'll likely run into people from all over the world who come to take in the breathtaking diversity of local fauna. Look for the "Cathedral", a tight cluster of trees noted for inspiring people to lower their voices as though they were in church!
What to bring: money for parking, some food/snacks, water, and comfortable shoes with good traction