Even though Earth Day has passed, the need to take care of our planet and environment remains as important now as ever. A look at what is at stake as our climate changes at an increasingly rapid rate is explored in Oceanside Museum of Art’s Connie Jenkins: Intertidal on display from Saturday, May 13 through Sunday, August 13.

Connie Jenkins: Intertidal Exhibit | May 13 – August 13

This exhibition features a collection of work inspired by the artist’s 13 years spent living on the Channel Islands, bringing greater awareness to the value of these astonishing and seldom-seen habitats.

In 2005, Connie was one of 20 artists selected to spend a year visiting the Channel Islands and making artwork to be exhibited by the Ventura County Museum upon the 25th anniversary of Channel Islands National Park. She continued to visit the islands over the next 13 years as a volunteer with the Intertidal Monitoring Survey team, the park’s Natural Resources Specialist, and with Channel Island Restoration.

When the pandemic hit, Connie remained and explored all eight islands in over two dozen paintings. The chance to sit and observe day after day in that isolated environment, largely distant from human habitation, provided the opportunity to imagine this environment before mankind’s mark. When she returned home, she continued to paint images of the tidepools from photographs she had taken during her time there as a form of daily meditation.

Connie’s collection of work from her time at the Channel Islands showcases the beauty of this area that exists despite our careless disregard for the environment. The ever-changing waters are a template for our own existence. She hopes that her artwork will help bring greater awareness to the value of these astonishing and seldom-seen habitats, inspiring a sense of responsibility for their protection and preservation.

About Oceanside Museum of Art

Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) is a non-profit organization that began providing exhibitions and public programs in 1995 as part of their mission to bring people together to explore the art and stories of Southern California artists. OMA’s exhibition program is dynamic and robust, surprising visitors with a fresh and exciting visual experience nearly every visit. In addition to these boundary-pushing contemporary art exhibitions, OMA’s programming includes youth education programs, adult art classes, concerts, films, and creative community parties and events that appeal to locals and tourists alike. The OMA experience stimulates imagination, presents new ideas, and challenges the familiar in a welcoming environment for those new to art, longtime museum-goers, artists, art students, or simply the curious. For more information on Oceanside Museum of Art, visit here.

See you there, San Diego!