Naturalist Obi Kaufmann’s lively presentation about how science and art can work together to deliver a powerful message of hope comes as an antidote to the miasma of despair that seems to pervade most popular discourse regarding the natural world of California and beyond.

Obi, the author of The California Field Atlas and the just released The State of Water, presents his exhaustive work based on decades of packing and studying California’s rugged backcountry, with all its nuance and majesty.

Complementing Obi's talk on California and the natural world, our neighbor, forager and baker Caitlin Hubel of Gathering Days, will be serving foraged foods and lovingly crafted snacks along with our Poet and/the Bench Hello the Sun tea.

All ages welcome! Content is approachable and exciting to readers of all ages, but likely most understandable for ages 10 and up.

The California Field Atlas
Obi says about his tome, “It’s 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.” In this artful and compelling book, Obi presents what he refers to as a new portfolio of invented geography laden with a balance of ecology and aesthetics as driving and orienting forces.

The State of Water
In his follow up book, Obi turns his creative and analytical attention to the Golden State's single most complex and controversial resource: water. He offers 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.

Read our Conversations with an Artist with Obi Kaufman