For 2016, they’ve turned their attention to one of the newest environmental ventures in the Bay Area: One Tam, a community campaign of the Tamalpais Lands Collaborative to “raise awareness about the need to maintain the long-term health of Mt. Tam, engage more volunteers in caring for its treasured resources, and renew the spirit of philanthropy that has been so fundamental to the preservation of Mt. Tam over the past century.” The Tamalpais Lands Collaborative includes California State Parks, Marin County Parks, Marin Municipal Water District, and the National Park Service along with the nonprofit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
The BayWood Artists, a nonprofit group of artists that create approximately 120 original paintings each year for their art shows, will showcase their “Mt. Tam As We See It: BayWood Artists Paint the Spirit of the Mountain” paintings October 1-2 at the Mill Valley Community Center, with half of all proceeds going to One Tam.
A group of 10 artists created BayWood Artists in 1997. It drew its inspiration a year earlier, when San Anselmo artists Zeneida Mott, Lissa Nicolaus and Sherrill Miller were approached by Mary Welch, then-director of MarinScapes, an art show that benefits Buckelew Programs. It was suggested that since they all painted landscapes, the artists could do something to also preserve the land they loved to paint. BayWood Artists has remained small in size with about 10-12 members with guest artists added every year.
The art to benefit One Tam will include artwork from Christin Coy, Laura Culver, John Finger, Jon Francis, Robert Frank, Sherrill Miller, Victoria Mimiaga, Lissa Nicolaus and Tom Soltesz.
Later in October, One Tam is hosting the “Mt. Tam Science Summit,” a gathering of the mountain’s four land management agencies, together with other Bay Area scientists, to answer the question: “How healthy is Mt. Tam?” They’ll share what they know, and what they don’t yet know, about the condition of selected plants, animals, and natural processes found on Mt Tam. The event is set for Oct. 28-29 at the Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center.
The 411: The “Mt. Tam As We See It: BayWood Artists Paint the Spirit of the Mountain” exhibit by BayWood Artists to benefit One Tam is set for Saturday, October 1 (11am-6pm) and Sunday, October 2 (11am-4pm) for a free public art sale. A reception will be held Saturday from 3-6pm, where participating artists will be available to talk about their works and the BayWood Artists organization. Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto. MORE INFO.