Teens’ Views On Environment

Volcano Vista student Lauren Miera’s painting of red New Mexico buttes sprinkled with patches of crusty, dirt-ringed melted snow and mesquite framed by long afternoon shadows, exudes a sense of lonely open space.

Miera’s piece was recognized for “Best Use of Light” at an art exhibit designed in part to stimulate awareness and advocacy of public open space lands in Albuquerque.

“Trees, Rocks, and Dirt: Interpretations of Nature” by Volcano Vista and La Cueva high students is a collection of graphite drawings, mixed media creations, photographs, paintings and 3-D art on display through the end of this month at the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors NW.

	If you go What: Trees, Rocks and Dirt: Interpretations of Nature WHEN: Continues through the end of February. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Closed Mondays. WHERE: Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors NW between Montaño and Paseo del Norte at the end of Bosque Meadows Road. HOW MUCH: Free

The students were posed with the question, “Why should trees, rocks and dirt be worthy of conservation?”

They were asked to become aware and to express the dialogue they might have with nature as they visited open space properties like the Petroglyph National Monument, the West Mesa and the bosque.

Rebecca Anderson’s artwork, “Tree City,” depicts a maple leaf. One-half of it is natural, the other half is populated by tall skyscrapers, signifying perhaps the simultaneous conflict and interdependence of nature and industrialized humans.

The La Cueva student’s mixed media creation earned “Best Use of Open Space as a Theme.”

Exhibit visitor Patti Plagge of Albuquerque said she was impressed by Anderson’s piece. She also praised a work called “A Day of Drawing,” by Volcano Vista student Hyeoug Kyeoug Ryu.

“I think they (students) all did very well, creating some intense, incredible art,” Plagge said. “As very talented young people, they presented quite a diverse perception of the environment.”

If it’s interesting diversity you want, consider La Cueva student Delaney Pearce’s graphite drawing “Figure in Trees,” depicting a sinewy human form with a head and knots for eyes, standing within a forest of denuded trees. It is oddly reminiscent of “The Scream” by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, except the figure can’t scream because it has no recognizable mouth.

“One of our biggest challenges in public lands education is grasping the attention of youth away from technologies and bringing them back to the outdoors,” said Jodi Hedderig, manager of open space at the visitor center.

“What is extraordinary about this show is the revelation that these students still see the outdoors, and that the natural landscape is still a very important part of their environments, even if they live in an urban environment,” she said.

“It’s heartening to know that they’re still seeing impacts on the environment and how it will impact their future, when often we may become very cynical about what is happening to our youth in their very cyber world,” she said.

Hedderig said she was surprised to see through the exhibit that young people are paying attention and are involved in stewardship and advocacy of open space.

“To see the creativity and the stories and the imagery in their art work is all very enjoyable,” she said.