On Wednesday, April 14, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang will host its next virtual program via Zoom, Chuck Graham: Hidden Wonders of the Carrizo Plain, from 4 to 5 p.m. A local photographer and author, Graham recently released his new book, Carrizo Plain: Where the Mountains Meet the Grasslands. During the Zoom program, Graham will discuss the book and share some of his experiences as an avid photographer of the Carrizo Plain National Monument over the past 15 years.
“As a photographer, there isn’t a bad time for me to visit [the Carrizo Plain]. It doesn’t always have to be about the super bloom phenomena,” Graham said in press materials from the Wildling Museum. “I’ve never returned to the grasslands without at least a few quality images. Stunning light, puffy clouds, sweeping dramatic landscapes, and all its inhabitants are always there, yet it only requires me to slow down and scan the horizon.”
The Carrizo Plain National Monument has been highlighted in past exhibitions at the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, which also co-produced a short documentary on the region with Goodeye Films in 2019. Stacey Otte-Demangate, executive director of the museum, described the Carrizo Plain as “a critically important habitat.”
“It’s the largest remaining grassland in California and home to 13 endangered species,” Otte-Demangate said a statement. “Given its proximity to our area, we are always happy to bring more attention to this local treasure.”
The suggested donation to view Graham’s virtual program via Zoom is $5. Call (805) 688-1082 or visit wildlingmuseum.org for more info. The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is located at 1511 Mission Drive, unit B, Solvang.
This article appears in Apr 1-8, 2021.