Through September 5th, Mendocino Eco Artists - Creatively Supporting the Environment.

MEA’s special exhibit is Taking Flight for MAPA, benefitting the Mendocino Area Parks Association (MAPA).  Much of the new work will focus on the birds of our river and ocean habitats.  Birds are one of the many popular attractions of people to our local state parks.  People with no knowledge of biology are fascinated by the beauty of these amazing animals in the air and on the water.
MEA artists’ efforts have raised several thousand dollars to help keep open the seven local State Parks at risk of closure due to loss of state funding.  The seventeen member artists of MEA donate 30% of the proceeds of all sales from this show to the Mendocino Area Parks Association to help prevent these closures. 

The seventeen member artists of MEA are Juriaan Blok, Karen Bowers, Maeve Croghan, Eleanor Harvey, John Hewitt, Julie Higgins, JoAnn Hagerty Humphrey, Joe Janisch, Deborah Beck Lennox, Suzi Marquess Long, Keith Middlesworth, Jim Moorehead, Deborah Nord, Janis Porter, Bob Rhoades, Nick Schwartz, and Cynthia Crocker Scott.

Mendocino Area Parks Association (MAPA) is a nonprofit organization formed to benefit the local state parks. MAPA provides educational activities, interpretive programs and informative exhibits in our local parks and promotes the restoration and conservation of park structures.  For further information, visit MAPA’s website www.mendoparks.org.

“MEA’s support is invaluable, and at the perfect time”, said Carolyne Cathey, MAPA Executive Director.  “All of us have been working extremely hard to keep our state parks open.  The funds donated by MEA and others demonstrate to Parks the commitment from our local communities, and that we care.”

MAPA has submitted proposals to operate Russian Gulch State Park, and is finalizing the proposal to operate Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area in partnership with Team Standish. Donations and funds are crucial to cover the start-up expenses for these parks.

Our local state parks contribute a huge amount directly and indirectly to the economy. The combined revenue the parks contributed to the county in 2009 was over $42,000,000! And keeping the parks open and staffed is vital to their very existence.  Without continual maintenance and staff oversight, the parks would be abused, people could be injured, and the actual facilities would rapidly decline. The damage caused when other state parks which were closed cost the state over $100,000 for one park alone.
 
What is MEA?
Mendocino Eco Artists (MEA) is an organization of artists who have the common goal of applying their talents to help conserve and restore the natural environment in our area.  The members are professional painters and sculptors who live, work, and draw their creative inspiration from this beautiful place.

MEA’s mission is to support our partner organizations, the Salmon Restoration Association (SRA), which promotes and oversees local river and stream habitat restoration efforts, and the MAPA.  MEA continues to raise money and exhibit members' art to helped increase public awareness of our natural environment.  Hundreds of people have been inspired and entertained by the art work, and been informed of the ecological issues facing our region. Please visit www.mendocinoecoartists.org for information about the group and its members.

The members of MEA are very grateful to Jeff and Joan Stanford for their continuing support of many programs and projects that improve our community.  MEA is honored to be able to share members’ artwork in the Stanford’s beautiful venue overlooking Big River where it opens into Mendocino Bay.