Wall color:
|
In 2001, I participated as a scholar (expedition artist) in the Smith College project "The 1899 Harriman Expedition Retraced: A Century of Change". A television special about this scientific and cultural exploration of Alaska appeared on PBS in June, 2003. We traveled along the coast of Alaska, out to the Aleutians, up to the Pribolofs, and to Siberia. During the final two weeks, I encountered no trees taller than 2". Consequently, with my nose pressed to the ground, I discovered an entire world of lichens, mosses, perennial plants, and the tiny creatures that live amongst them. The American Pika, a larger denizen, lived in small burrows in the tundra, and frequently came out to watch me as I wondered on hands and knees, in awe of the small landscapes at my feet.
