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Rooftop Sculpture Terrace In Nature's Temple: Early Art and Ecology

William Keith, , and August 26–December 13, 2013

Curated by Thomas Lucas, SJ, Director Emeritus Events “In Nature’s Temple: Early California Art & Ecology” presents the ideas of Conversation with Curator Thomas John Muir alongside the works of Lucas, SJ and Writer, Historian and USF three California art icons—painter Alumnus Kevin Starr William Keith and photographers Monday, October 7, 2:30-3:30, McLaren 250 Carleton Watkins and Eadweard Reception to follow in the Gallery Muybridge—to examine Yosemite’s place in the American art and Guided Tours, Thursdays at noon: environmental movements. September 5, 19, October 3, 17, 24, November 7, 21, December 5 After recovering from an eye injury caused while working in a September Wisconsin factory, John Muir Thursday, September 12, noon-1 p.m. – fulfilled his dream to move west, Thacher Thursdays: Creature Comforts – quickly becoming the proto- Animal Habitats created by USF fine arts evangelist of the nature students conservation movements. He visited for the first time in Thursday, September 26, noon-1 p.m. – 1868, writing, “It is by far the Final Thursday Chamber Music with USF’s grandest of all the special temples Chamber Ensemble class of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.” Living in the valley for Thursday, September 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m., extended periods of time, he Maraschi Room, Fromm Hall – “Earthly encountered landscape painter Hermeneutics: Interpretation from the William Keith and inventor- Ground Up” by Brian Treanor, Loyola photographers Carleton Watkins Marymount University, Plenary Session for and Eadweard Muybridge. the Pacific Tradition for the Continental Meanwhile, with the admission of Tradition (PACT) Conference, a reception will California to the Union in 1850, the follow in the gallery Yosemite Valley received national attention. October Thursday, October 10, noon-1 p.m. – During treks with Watkins and Keith, Thacher Thursday: Nature Walk led by the Muir wrote extensively about the USF Wellness Program spiritual power of the forests and cliffs. Keith’s paintings illustrated the Thursday, October 31, noon-1 p.m. – Final natural wonders that inspired Muir’s Thursday Chamber Music with USF’s writings while adding the rugged Chamber Ensemble class western terrain to the body of the Hudson River School of painting, November which in the 1830’s presented Wednesday, November 13, 5-6 p.m., idealized pastoral images of the Maraschi Room, Fromm Hall – Literary Eastern landscape that strongly Reading featuring works responding to “In contrasted the effects of Nature’s Temple” by USF faculty, staff and industrialization. Stereoviews by students Watkins and Muybridge brought Yosemite to the masses; their Thursday, November 14, noon-1 p.m. – mammoth-sized photographs Thacher Thursday: Broadside Exchange established the large-format used featuring USF creative writing and design for documenting vast landscapes students through the 20th century. On the conservation front, the combined December work of Watkins and Muir helped Thursday, December 12, noon-1 p.m. – make a case for what would Thursday Thursday: become the , to be announced while the frequent conversations between Keith and Muir set the *located in the gallery unless otherwise foundation for the Sierra Club. stated Together, the innovative work of these four men planted the seeds of the early conservation movement that eventually flowered into major environmental establishments that flourish today.

The Thacher Gallery at USF gratefully acknowledges the following for their loans and assistance: Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art, the California Historical Society, the California State Library, the Society of California Pioneers, USF’s Donohue Rare Book Room, Denny and Peggy Kruska and Dr. Kevin Starr.

School Tours Visitor Guide Books & Resources (Available at USF)

In November, USF writers responded to the artworks in "In Nature's Temple" and then worked with student designers to create a series of Broadsides as well as a Chapbook. You can view them and print your own copies here.

Nature's Temple Broadsides Nature's Temple Chapbook

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