Art at the Cheese Factory

Saturday's tour/tasting/screening was again a hit! Many people braved the rain to come hear more detailed explanations about the works in Terrior. Mark Brest van Kempen was on hand to talk about his outdoor installation entitled Lineaus Line, which has been dismantled. A straight line running from lake side across the fence and into the adjacent field with orange markers tagging plants both native and non-native along the way. Lewis de Soto was present as well to describe his very intricate process of piecing together multiple photographs digitally into one very high resolution, detailed landscape, from his series which conveys the crossroads of natural lands and viticulture. Sharon Siskin invited former Marin Cheese Factory worker Adelia Lichau, who she interviewed to create her installation Women Invented Cheese. Adelia provided Sharon with photographs and information for a timeline, documenting approximately 60 years of employment. The two were thrilled to get to know one another in the process. Jorge Bachman gave a brief explaination of Global Terroir (created with Jessica Resmond), a series of photographs of their kitchen counter covered with fruit stickers to remind them of how far away these foods were grown. Jorge is a sound artist who captured audio of various transportation modes such as trucks, trains, air freight; and the different languages of the people that grow and bring these foods to markets for a sound element (using headphones). Susan Leibovitz Steinman described her inspiration and impetus for creating a large wall painting using soil and water from the site to express the preciousness of top soil and her sense of place having recently spent time in China.

Following the tour, Claudia Tennyson offered up dozens of bottles of remedies with labels like memory, satisfaction, courage, vigor, contentment, joy, empathy, generosity, leap of faith, enchantment, delight, awareness, humor, and compassion. For an hour straight Claudia combined up to three different remedies for participant who roamed the gallery awaiting their transformations (Marin French Cheese Company owner Kris Otis left).

Following the tasting the Women Environmental Artist Directory (WEAD) showed the recent documentary released on Rachel Carson entitled "A Sense of Wonder." Only 55 minutes long, for the people who remained to watch the film, there was a sense of awe in hearing how dedicated Carson was to educating the public on the effects of pesticides in the environment, while taking care of an ill parent, an ill sibling, helping to raise a nephew, and battling cancer. Very inspiring.

Our next event is an artist residency at the Cheese Factory the first week of June when Sonja Hinrichsen arrives from Oakland (via a residency in Aspen) to spend several days getting a feel for the place. She will plan to sew the words that describe the surroundings on leaves with thread around the lake and picnic areas. If you are interested to work with Sonja to do this installation please contact Tricia Watts at tricia@ecoartspace.org for more information.