Ecology and Aesthetics in the Anthropocene Across the California Landscape: A conversation between Louesa Roebuck and Obi Kaufmann | Sold Out

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An evening with Obi Kaufmann and Louesa Roebuck

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden invites you to an evening with authors and great friends, Obi Kaufmann and Louesa Roebuck, live and in person, as they introduce you to their work in a conversation regarding ecological philosophy and what native plant patterns, diversity and distribution offer to the mythopoetic landscape of California. The evening promises to be energetic and artful, contemplative, and inspiring, as these two speakers bring to light connecting themes of aesthetic theory, ecological invasity and naturalized regimes of water and fire, sustainable communities, and the future of biodiversity.

This lecture is presented in partnership with Wilderness Youth Project

About Obi Kaufmann:

In the award winning and best-selling field atlases of Obi Kaufmann, science and art blend to illuminate the multifaceted array of California’s natural world, forming a uniquely elemental narrative based on the shaping forces of earth, air, fire, and water, connecting systems like no other series of books has done before. For poet, painter and naturalist Obi Kaufmann, California is a magic network of living systems that connect in a grand quilt of both ecology and beauty, holding enough science, mythology, and language for a hundred field atlases to come. In his artful yet analytical books, Obi Kaufmann explores the transformation of California’s resource landscape from its ancient origins through its modern challenges to its future possibilities. The writer/illustrator of five books including The California Field Atlas, The State of Water; Understanding California’s most precious Resource, The California Lands Trilogy: The Forests of California, The Coasts of California and the Deserts of California, Obi will complete the Field Atlas saga with the publication of The State of Fire: Understanding Why, Where and How California burns (Heyday: 2024).

Keep up with Obi and his work on Instagram @coyotethunder.

About Louesa Roebuck:

Louesa was born in the midst of Ohio in the 1960s and grew up in both Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky, with occasional escapes to the mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina, and the coast of Maine. After pursuing printmaking at RISD and obtaining a somewhat impractical degree in marketing, she relocated to California during the El Niño of 1997/98. Just five days later, she found herself working at Chez Panisse, initially unaware of the transformative community she had entered.

Her exploration of California culture and beauty continued as she collaborated closely with the clothing and textile designer Erica Tanov. Subsequently, she ventured into opening August, a groundbreaking fashion, art, and community hub that was ahead of its time. August was an early advocate for the intersection of luxury apparel and environmentally and socially responsible textile practices. Unfortunately, Louesa faced the loss of her business during the worldwide economic crash of 2008/09, leading her back to her lifelong passion for foraged and gleaned floral work.

Foraged flora became her recent medium of choice, culminating in her first critically acclaimed book, ‘Foraged Flora,’ published by 10Speed Press in 2016. Concurrently, her enthusiasm for creating and printing monotypes took center stage.

Over the years, Louesa has crafted floral installations for notable figures such as Vivienne Westwood, John Baldesarri, Todd Selby, Michael Pollan, Michelle Obama, Alice Waters, Rintaro, SHED Healdsburg in collaboration with Dan Barber, MAK Center for Art and Architecture with LACMA, GOOP, Carolyn Murphy, Vogue, and House Beautiful. Her floral and monotype works have graced the pages of numerous national and international publications, including Vogue, GOOP, various Amber Interiors social media platforms, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Wired Magazine, Cabana, Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, C Magazine, Edible Selby, Remodelista, Bare Journal, Sunset, Martha Stewart Living, Beekman Almanac, and more. Architectural Digest and C magazine have specifically featured her monotypes.

Louesa currently resides in Ojai, California and you can keep up with her work on her website.

Pricing:

Admission to this lecture is free, however, registration is required. Space is limited, so register today!