RCEA Hosting Leading ‘Lights Awards Ceremony, Artist Reception’ During Arts Alive

This is a press release from the Redwood Coast Energy Authority:

“Solar Energy Windmills,” Kat Olsen. Acrylic on canvas board

Eureka, CA – The Redwood Coast Energy Authority is hosting a Leading Lights awards ceremony and artist reception during Eureka’s Arts Alive event on Saturday, August 4, from 6:00–9:00pm. The show, titled, “Save Energy Today, Save Energy Tomorrow,” features 2 and 3D art and a promotional /educational video created by a collaboration between the Academy of the Redwoods, Humboldt Community Access and Resource Center’s The Studio, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority, The Krause Family Foundation, and PG&E.

Three $250 awards, from RCEA, PG&E and the Krause Family Foundation, will be given to three artists: Eric Lee, Kat Olsen, and Amy House. The public is invited to enjoy refreshments and live music by a trio of Compost Mountain Boys.

The Leading Lights (LL) project is a pilot effort that includes that took place at two different sites.  Students from the early college high school Academy of the Redwoods (AR) and their teacher Gini Wozni created a 60-second public service announcement.  Artists from The Studio, a rural artists’ collective and learning environment for adults with developmental disabilities in Eureka, created and submitted 24 pieces of 2 and 3-D art. The project was guided by The Studio lead teacher KT Garcia.

After doing some initial research, the AR students decided to focus not just on actions residents can take to conserve energy at home, at work, and in their communities, but also on changing the ways in which we generate energy, renewable energy, and sustainability. In a survey afterwards, one student said that, “We think it is more important to change how the energy is produced.  Whereas reducing ‘bad’ energy doesn’t solve this problem, this does. Don’t stop the power, change the power.”

Artists from The Studio noted that they learned that it’s better to “turn the lights off and have more conversations instead of looking at the TV.”

Individuals who participated in the Leading Lights Project learned about energy issues as part of RCEA’s campaign to address energy efficiency.

“Untitled” (wind turbines), Eric Lee. Colored pencil and pen on wood

The Krause Family Foundation, ReadWriteAll, is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3, community organization in Arcata that supports efforts to improve educational and economic opportunities for children, youth, and families, while sustaining families’ culture and language.  Focused on creativity, imagination, reading, and writing for students, families, and communities, they provide program direction and evaluation for educational projects.

RCEA is located at 633 3^rd Street in Eureka, at the corner of 3^rd & H Street.

For more information contact Nancy at (707) 269-1700 ext 352 or visit www.RedwoodEnergy.org

“City of the Future,” Amy House. Acrylic and pen on wood.

Click here to view the event poster.