Naturalist & Best-Selling ‘California Field Atlas’ Author Obi Kaufmann Speaks at Poet and/the Bench – Sept. 8

Poet and/the Bench, the four-year-old lifestyle store and jewelry atelier space from Jeffrey Levin and Bonnie Powers – and recent “Best Gifts” winners in Marin Magazine’s 2019 Best of the County issue – has long earned a reputation for operating at its own creative nexus of art, jewelry, home decor and a love for the natural environment around us.

In a celebration of the latter, Levin and Powers have invited Oakland-based naturalist Obi Kaufmann, author of the best-selling The California Field Atlas (Heyday Books; 2017) and the just-released The State of Water, to speak at Poet and/the Bench at 11 Throckmorton Avenue on Sunday, Sept. 8, 1-3:30pm. Obi will also be signing books and have an exhibit of his paintings for sale. He’ll be joined by forager and baker Caitlin Hubel of Gathering Days, who will be serving foraged foods and snacks along with Poet and/the Bench’s Hello the Sun tea.

Kaufman calls his book The California Field Atlas “my love story to California. I’ve been walking California my whole life, and this book represents years of exploring and painting, organizing it and putting it all down on paper.” According to the Press Democrat, it’s “the culmination of a lifetime of trekking across the Golden State. In 550 pages of original illustrations and maps, scientific data, natural history lessons and poetic observations about the state’s diverse flora and fauna, watersheds, deserts and mountains, Kaufmann paints a portrait of a state in flux. In finely tuned but relaxed watercolors, he paints a portrait of a beloved place, beholden to the whims of humans, evolution and the shaping forces of earth, air, fire and water.”

For The State of Water, Kaufman turns his creative and analytical attention to the Golden State’s single most complex and controversial resource: water, offering nine perspectives to illustrate the most pressing challenges facing California’s water infrastructure, from dams to species revitalization, and revealing pragmatic yet inspiring solutions to how water in the West can continue to support agriculture, municipalities, and the environment.

Check out Poet and/the Bench’s Conversations with an Artist with Kaufman to hear more about his background and his work.

The 411: Poet and/the Bench invites Oakland-based naturalist Obi Kaufmann, author of the best-selling The California Field Atlas (Heyday Books; 2017) to speak at the shop at 11 Throckmorton Avenue on Sunday, Sept. 8, 1-3:30pm. He’ll be joined by forager and baker Caitlin Hubel of Gathering Days, who will be serving foraged foods and snacks along with Poet and/the Bench’s Hello the Sun tea. Free. Please RSVP so Poet and/the Bench can prep space and snacks. RSVP not required to attend.
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