Saturday, December 28th, 2019
WHAT ALASKA’S MELTING FRONTIER TELLS US ABOUT A CHANGING WORLD
Minimum $20 a person suggested donation, all proceeds benefit Whale Trust
Limited tickets, reserve here.
As an artivist, Kristin Hettermann uses photography and storytelling as a way to spread awareness for important issues concerning the ocean. From that intent, she created THE BIG MELT, premiering at Art Project Paia in their recent climate-change fueled show SHE WAS BLUE. A photo collage of fifty-four pieces that spans 9 feet by 6 feet, THE BIG MELT showcases recent glacial photos in a chart that models 900 billion tons of glacier ice loss over fifteen years in Alaska.
Hettermann spent only one morning, August 30, 2019, photographing the Sawyer and South Sawyer Glaciers in Tracy Arm, Southeast Alaska. She was mesmerized by the crashing sounds, varied textures, and deep striations of blue that this experience shared with her, her first opportunity to observe a glacier up close and personal. As fascinated as she was with the beauty of the scene, she could not help but tune into the chatter of the locals speaking of the unprecedented melting that had been seen over the past two years.
Upon returning home, she started researching and was shocked by the science she saw coming out of our northernmost border state. “I was dumbfounded to learn that from 2002-2017, Alaska glaciers thinned by an average of several feet per year; 60 billion tons of ice a year equals 900 billon tons of ice over fifteen years,” stated Hettermann. Her inquiries led to the writing of an opinion piece in Scientific American, Iceless in Alaska.
On December 28th Hettermann will open Art Project Paia’s SHE WAS BLUE Event Series with, “WHAT ALASKA’S MELTING FRONTIER TELLS US ABOUT A CHANGING WORLD.” She will be joined by her fiancé, Sven Lindblad, CEO and Founder of global expedition company Lindblad Expeditions. Sven will share insights about the changes he has seen over his nearly 40 years of exploring Alaska and what a changing climate in Alaska might portend for the island of Maui.
“I hope seeing the beauty of the shots while observing the big picture of the loss will elicit a deeper level of understanding in the challenges that our planet is facing,” Hettermann says. “The reality is, what happens in one part of our planet is not geographically limited. Climate change is a global problem. There are things we can do in our everyday life to make a difference, we just need to say yes.
Saying ‘yes’ to making individual behavior changes requires an understanding of which things have the greatest impact. Hettermann and Lindblad will feature Rare, an organization which inspires change so people and nature thrive. In 2020, Rare is launching an ambitious, multi-year climate change program to empower individuals to take the most meaningful emissions reducing actions. Over the past 40 years, Rare has successfully executed over 450 campaigns in over 60 countries, measurably mitigating threats to fisheries, freshwater, and forests – and the communities that depend on them – in countries hardest hit by climate change.
A portion of proceeds from the sales during this event will benefit Whale Trust based on Maui, supporting research efforts surrounding how climate change is affecting our humpback whales.
UPCOMING EXHIBITION EVENT: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Saturday, December 28th, 2019
WHAT ALASKA’S MELTING FRONTIER TELLS US ABOUT A CHANGING WORLD
Minimum $20 a person suggested donation, all proceeds benefit Whale Trust
Limited tickets, reserve here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-big-melt-what-alaskas-melting-frontier-tells-us-about-a-changing-world-tickets-86762648417
Meet and greet and presentation by artist and activist Kristin Hettermann and her fiancé Sven Lindblad from Lindblad Expeditions. Discussion on the visible changes of the ice melt in Alaska; the intent behind her piece, THE BIG MELT; and her experiences with climate change in the field.
5:00 pm start, presentation begins at 6 pm
Art Project Paia, 77 Hana Highway
ABOUT SVEN-OLOF LINDBLAD
Sven-Olof Lindblad, founder of Lindblad Expeditions, was born in Switzerland, son of renowned adventure-travel pioneer Lars-Eric Lindblad. In 1979 he launched Special Expeditions, the small ship adventure travel company that became Lindblad Expeditions. In 2004, Lindblad formed a strategic alliance with National Geographic that combines the strengths of two pioneers in global exploration, with the goal of inspiring people to explore and care about the planet.
Lindblad’s personal experience led to a commitment to environmentally responsible travel and ocean conservation. In 2019 he took the company carbon neutral offsetting 100% of emissions from Lindblad ships, all land-based operations, employee travel, and offices, and guided the elimination of single use plastics across the Lindblad fleet in 2018. He is an honorary member of the General Assembly of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands; serves on the Board of The Safina Center, and on the Board of Trustees of Rare; is a founding Ocean Elder of the non-profit organization, Ocean Elders, and serves on the Board of Advisors for Pristine Seas.
ABOUT KRISTIN HETTERMANN
Kristin Hettermann, a writer and photographer, is recognized for her underwater and adventure travel photography and awareness efforts surrounding important environmental and social causes. Based between Maui and Manhattan, her work and travels have taken her on adventures around the world with a keen eye toward ocean conservation and remote cultures. With decades of experience in public relations, brand development, and communications strategies in the corporate sector, Kristin spent the majority of her career helping individuals, companies, and initiatives communicate their stories through imagery, story, and spirit; helping start-up, non-profit, and small business ventures launch and grow important initiatives. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia with a double major in French and Foreign Affairs. A regular contributor to Scientific American and the Virgin platforms, Kristin has an active following on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT SHE WAS BLUE
With the opening of Art Project Paia’s latest show, SHE WAS BLUE, owner Tatiana Botton hopes to highlight the challenges that the planet is facing from global warming and inspire people to take action. Botton takes this show a bit more political than her past shows, with climate change being at the forefront of the news and a political party divider. Using art to open dialogue about the issue at hand, SHE WAS BLUE will present a subtle political speech dedicated to repairing the damage we have done to the planet and protecting it for generations to come.
ABOUT ART PROJECT PAIA
Since the summer of 2013, Art Project Paia has offered Maui a fresh and complimentary art perspective. Art Project Paia represents up and coming and established international, mainland, and local artists with a distinct Hawaiian sensitivity. Works of photography, painting, collage, drawing, sculpture, and ceramic are presented in a multidisciplinary gallery experience right in the heart of Paia town.
199 Hana Highway, [email protected], 808.214.6949
Open 7 days a week: Monday to Saturday – 12pm to 6pm, Sunday – 11 to 5pm