Chattermarks

During the last weekend in April, Seattle artist and North Cascades Institute friend and instructor Molly Hashimoto led a wonderful and inspiring 3-day Adult Seminar on Printmaking with Ink and Watercolor at the Environmental Learning Center. Each day, Molly shared basic printmaking techniques that helped to build tangible skills and deepen each artist’s unique and creative talents. Molly and her students spent time in and around the Environmental Learning Center, finding inspiration in the newly emergent spring growth, towering peaks, blue waters, and rich colors of the North Cascades. After learning the basic elements of black and white contrast, participants spent time designing, carving, and proofing their block prints, later developing color palettes to enhance their work. So engrossed in their art were the 15 dedicated participants and staff of this workshop that they had to be reminded to take breaks in order to taste the delicious meals prepared by the chefs, or to enjoy a quick walk along the sunny shores of Diablo Lake! Below is a painted story highlighting the beautiful prints of the workshop’s participants. A big thank you to Molly and to all who attended!

Check out Molly Hashimoto’s blog for a full recounting of her experience while teaching printmaking at the Environmental Learning Center.

» Continue reading Spring Printmaking Workshop at the Learning Center

Notes from Disappearing Lake: The River Journals of Robert Sund
A reading by Tim McNulty
May 15, 2012; 7 pm
Readings Gallery at Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Bellingham

Join North Cascades Institute at Village Books’ Readings Gallery May 15 at 7 pm for a free reading from the new book Notes from Disappearing Lake: The River Journals of Robert Sund. Edited by Sund’s close friends Tim McNulty and Glenn Hughes, this volume assembles poem-like journal entries by the esteemed Pacific Northwest poet from his shack on the Skagit River estuary. With freshness and immediacy, these pieces reveal the poet’s ongoing artistic discipline based on close attention to the natural world, as well as his spiritual insight, humor, and love for all that illuminates the mind and lifts the heart. Notes from Disappearing Lake captures a creative spirit and an artistic moment in one of the Northwest’s most mystically beautiful landscapes.

Robert Sund and Fishtown fans will also be excited to know that the Institute is leading a canoe voyage to Robert’s shack and the lower Skagit River estuary on May 20 as part of the Skagit River Poetry Festival. There is also a special panel on Fishtown and barbeque celebration at Pioneer Park that night that the public is invited to. Details on all of these related events are on our Bulletin Board.

Robert Sund (1929 – 2001) grew up on a small farm in Washington’s Chehalis Valley and studied with poet Theodore Roethke at the University of Washington before settling in the Skagit Valley. His poetry reflects a deep, lifelong engagement with landscape and community. He is the author of Poems from Ish River Country: Collected Poems and Translations, and Taos Mountain.
Tim McNulty is a poet, essayist, and nature writer. He is the author of two poetry collections, In Blue Mountain Dusk, and Pawtracks, and ten poetry chapbooks including Cloud Studies, Some Ducks, and Through High Still Air. He is also the author of eleven books on natural history, including Olympic National Park: A Natural History.

July, 1973

Snipe walking through the

flowers & grasses

picking worms & bugs out of

the mud —
Wren on the front porch

tiny feet

tick tick.
Robin, swallow

crow, seagull, heron

goldfinch, duck

blackbird . . .

Who needs a radio?

Song at morning

song at evening

and all day long . . .
This is the real news:
   Local, regional, & world-wide.

Photos courtesy of Erik Ambjor.

I think it may be safe to say that life is coming back to the North Cascades as of today, and yesterday, and even a few weeks ago! At first the change was so subtle it was barely recognizable, and we here at the North Cascades Institute were still clinging to the warmth of our down jackets even as the first shoots of palmate coltsfoot were pushing their way stubbornly through the matted duff of winter. Then the first familiar calls and presence of returning migratory birds were heard – the throngs of robins, the vibrant rush and resonate tapping of the red-breasted sapsuckers, the two-toned trill of the varied thrush, yellow warblers, and most recently the whir and brilliance of the rufous hummingbird. And now, with the warming and lengthening days, spring has truly taken off. Life is bursting everywhere from canopy to forest floor and an expanding color palette hints at more to come. Emergent alder leaves catch the growing sunlight and reflect it at new angles throughout the understory, delicate yellow violets line the edges of pathways, a few brave lady slipper orchids hide behind rocks, fiddleheads unfurl their fronds, and a solitary patch of bleeding hearts open their petals.

Each day, new anticipations. Each day, burgeoning new colors. Each day, returning signs of life to marvel at and explore.

Here at the Institute we each notice and experience these springtime harbingers in different ways. For some, spring’s arrival is primarily an auditory sensation captured in birdsong and flowing creeks, for others a visual experience of color, and for others still a feeling that sneaks up on them slowly or startles them into wonder at a particular moment – a waterfall swelling with snowmelt, sulfur butterflies basking in the sun on muddy trails, or the first black bear spotted as it munches feverishly on new shoots of grass and greens. Together, our collective celebrations paint a rich narrative of springtime in this place where we live, work, and play.

The dappled hues of green cast by sunlight on emerging alder leaves. Photo by Katie Tozier.

» Continue reading Institute Celebrations of Spring

This past Earth Day Weekend, the North Cascades Institute hosted the 3^rd Anuual Migratory Bird Festival! The event was sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and brought people together from across western Washington for a day to explore the natural history of migratory birds and the cultural heritage of Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve.

Students and elders from Seattle’s International District, Mt. Vernon’s Kulshan Creek Neighborhood, and North Cascade Institute’s NC Wild 2012 program joined together to celebrate and learn about birds by migrating through four different educational stations.

Participants dined on a multicultural feast featuring Chinese food from Seattle’s International District and homemade Mexican tamales and sopes from Yolanda Zamora of Mt. Vernon. Delicious!

The first station was the Sea Lab, where students and elders could see, touch, and learn about some of the marine invertebrates that help fuel the birds’ migratory journeys along the Pacific flyway. This hands-on lesson covered the basics of the ecology and dynamic interplay between Puget Sound’s marine life and the migratory birds that utilize northwest marine ecosystems in order to complete part of their journey.

Graduate student Jacob Belsher teaches students all about the joys of being a moonsnail.

» Continue reading Bird Migrations at Ebey’s Landing

Contributed and written by talented Seattle-based artist and longtime North Cascades Institute Adult Seminar Instructor, Molly Hashimoto.

[Please join North Cascades Institute this April 27th - April 29th for an exciting weekend workshop on Printmaking with Ink and Watercolor with Molly Hashimoto. In addition to exploring the wild landscape around the Environmental Learning Center as a source of inspiration, Molly will lead participants in a discussion about design and the power of black and white contrast. Participants will also learn how to transfer drawings to a block of Safety Kut, carve the blocks, ink them up with both water-soluble and waterproof inks, print them without a press on proof paper and fine printmaking paper, and finally tint them with watercolor. No printmaking experience is required for this fun weekend of art, nature, good food, and community -- this workshop can serve as an introduction for the beginner as well as deepen more experienced printmakers' understanding of this dynamic medium. 

Please join North Cascades Institute staff next month for this exciting printmaking workshop with Molly Hashimoto! 

Read below as Molly walks participants and readers through a step-by-step process of printmaking beginning with an original conception inspired by the natural world to the finished product, a beautiful block print.]

Step 1. Up at the Environmental Learning Center last June I woke up early, decided to get a cup of tea from the dining hall, and take a stroll. Walking on the Peninsula Trail, I heard a tell-tale tap-tap-tap  and looked up to see this Hairy Woodpecker on a dead lodgepole pine tree. Always ready with my camera, I put down my teacup and snapped several photos — this gave the best view of the powerful black and white contrast of the bird.

Step 2. I did a drawing using a dark pencil, and added the view of Diablo Lake and the lower slopes of Colonial Peak. I thought the work would be more dramatic if I put the woodpecker in the context of its wider world.

Step 3. Before proceeding any further, I decided to do a color thumbnail using a black marker pen and watercolor on a heavyweight card stock paper, just to try out the color palette.

» Continue reading Woodpecker Print: A Step-by-Step Demonstration

North Cascades Institute is celebrating the arrival of spring and a new year of exciting programs for people of all ages! Plan ahead to join us in the North Cascades (and beyond) for our most popular programs — Learning Center classes and retreat, field excursions, Sourdough Speaker Series – and take advantage of our Early Bird discount.

From now through April 15, when you register for any class with tuition over $100, you will receive $20 off each registration. It’s a great opportunity to sign up for as many natural history or art classes, field excursions and retreats as you like and save!

To register with the Early Bird discount, visit www.ncascades.org/classes or call our friendly registrars at (360) 854-2599.

Tuition must be paid in full at time of registration. This discount is not valid for Family Getaways, Cascade Adventure Camp, Skagit Tours or Base Camp and cannot be combined with scholarships or other offers.

Written by guest contributor Deb Martin, the North Cascades Institute Registrar.

Happy New Year! As our Silver Anniversary comes to an end, we want to move forward in our 26th year by recognizing the strong connections we have with our participants and partners. We would not be where we are or who we are today without so many talented and passionate customers, teachers, students and staff.

We thought it would be fun to begin 2012 by spotlighting a few folks who have been great supporters of the Institute and our mission to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education. We are fortunate to have many such people and appreciate each and every one. Without further ado, here are some people that help make our work rewarding, organized by different program areas.

ADULT PROGRAMS: Nancy Callan

Nancy participated in her first program with North Cascades Institute in 2002. Since that first experience, she has participated in a total of 19 programs! In 2011, Nancy participated in eight different programs including the Hands to Work Stewardship Weekend, two Diablo Downtimes, four Base Camps and the Artistic Weaving with Cedar Workshop. Nancy is also a donor in support of Institute youth programs.

FAMILY PROGRAMS: The Tebbs/Armstrong Family

Matthew Tebbs, Dana Armstrong and Benjamin Armstrong (age 7) have made Family Getaways a family tradition. Since we launched our Family Getaways when we opened the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, the Tebbs/Armstrongs have participated in five Family Getaways, one each year from 2007-2011. In 2011, they extended their getaway experience by adding extra days through our Base Camp option. We are very honored to be a part of this family’s’ history!

» Continue reading North Cascades VIPs: Highlighting Institute Superstars

North Cascades Institute is very excited to finally share with you a multimedia piece made in celebration of our 25th anniversary. “The High Ridge: Celebrating 25 Years in the North Cascades” was created by three staff members from our marketing/communications department — Christian Martin, Jessica Haag and Amy Wilcox — in partnership with Benj Drummond and Sara Joy Steele of bdsjs.com. It aims to tell the story of where the Institute originated from, how it has evolved over the past quarter-century, what we hope to accomplish in our teaching and natural history work and where we’re going next. Not an easy task, especially in only 11 minutes!

The piece features interviews with Institute founders, instructors, board members and friends, including Tom Fleischner, Saul Weisberg, Jonathan Jarvis, Robert Michael Pyle, Libby Mills, Chuck Robinson, John Miles, Jeanne Muir and Brian Scheuch. Special thanks to Bill Frisell and John Reischman for providing the music, and countless photographers for sharing their work.

Watch it now in high definition — full screen viewing essentail!

We’d really love it if you helped spread this story around — you can share this link: http://ncascades.org/discover/multimedia/high-ridge

Sara wrote up a blog post outlining some of the creative process it took to produce this piece:

When the Institute first approached us about creating a story for their 25th anniversary, they didn’t necessarily have a workshop in mind. But the more we discussed the project – along with the organization’s expanding needs, staff interest and new website – building in-house capacity to produce videos and multimedia made the most sense.

The workshop took place over five days on Canoe Island in the San Juans. In the months leading up to our week together, three Institute staff members – Amy, Christian and Jessica – purchased a video camera and learned how to use it, conducted a dozen interviews, transcribed them into more than 60,000 words, and sorted through archival footage.

Read more at http://bdsjs.com/blog/2012/01/multimedia-workshop-the-high-ridge/

[We are excited to publish the second piece in our Foodshed Series, with monthly updates from the amazing chefs working so hard to provide program participants and staff at the Environmental Learning Center with sustainable, seasonal, and deliciously fresh food. In an age where the production and consumption of food are heavily disconnected, we work hard to preserve those ties by considering how food flows from the farms to our tables and all the processes in between. Purchasing from local farmers allows us to draw connections between their livelihoods and our own while at the same time contributing to our mission to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education. It's a renewing and rewarding partnership, and one we hope to keep sustaining and growing.]

I would like to introduce myself. I am Shelby Slater, the Chef at the Environmental Learning Center. I was born and raised in Anacortes, Washington and am proud to call the Pacific Northwest my home. One of the privileges I have working for the North Cascades Institute is running our Foodshed program, the largest component of which is working with local sources to supply our food. On my way to work the week of Thanksgiving, I made six stops between Anacortes and the Environmental Learning Center, and would like to share that journey as an anecdote to the success of our foodshed efforts.

» Continue reading Thanksgiving Shopping for the Environmental Learning Center

Psychologist Warren G. Bennis once said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Sixty-three high school and college students and fourteen conservation organizations did just that November 11-13th for the second annual North Cascades Youth Leadership Conference. Brought together by common goals to improve their leadership skills, learn about future opportunities, and reconnect after their original conservation experiences, these dedicated individuals were the heart and soul of the weekend. Hosted by North Cascades Institute in partnership with North Cascades National Park and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the second annual conference built upon last year’s success. As part of the planning committee, I came into this weekend excited for an energetic, life-altering experience with youth and adults like. I was not disappointed.

High School sophomores, juniors and seniors and college freshman from the Pacific Northwest converged in the heart of the North Cascades to reminisce, learn, and explore the beauty of this fall landscape. Most of the students had participated in North Cascades Wild, Cascade Climate Challenge, Student Conservation Association, Youth Conservation Corps, Mountain School, and other conservation-based programs.

The event was a success due to the hard work of our staff and partners. The North Cascades Institute, National Park Service, US Forest Service staff, Western Washington University graduate students and other partner organization representatives dedicated their time as small group leaders and mentors, lodge chaperones, Masters of Ceremony, breakout session leaders, and logistics coordinators.

» Continue reading Recounting the 2nd Annual Youth Leadership Conference