SUMMER LAKE, Ore. — Science shared by Oregon State University Extension Service regional fire specialists helped shape Wildfire+Water: Artists & Scientists Collaborating for Change, a forthcoming exhibition in Lake County that explores how fire and water interact across Oregon’s high desert.
Last fall, PLAYA at Summer Lake — which has supported new works and arts–science collaborations since 2011 — hosted nine artists for a residency focused on wildfire and water storytelling.
Two OSU Extension scientists, Ariel Cowan and Katie Wollstein, spent several days with participants discussing wildfire ecology, rangeland and forest conditions, and the challenges of managing fire across Oregon’s high desert.
The artists’ work will be exhibited April 26–27 at PLAYA. Wildfire+Water includes visual art, spoken word, dance and interactive games. Local middle- and high-school students, educators, media and the public are invited to the exhibit and symposium.
Art and science in conversation
“Oregon State Extension is uniquely situated in both science and education,” Wollstein said. “Our goal was to help them better understand the role of fire in that specific spot. Artists can communicate about complex topics and communicate in mediums that reach new audiences. This provides further opportunities for engagement and helps tell the story.”
Throughout the workshops, Wollstein and Cowan introduced fire management concepts and terminology and described how rangelands respond to wildfire. Many artists became fluent in these scientific terms by the end of the residency.
“I was impressed with the gain in knowledge, in a technical sense,” Wollstein said. “Seeing the change in understanding was very special.”
Exploring the Chewaucan Watershed
Wollstein and Cowan also helped lead a tour of the Chewaucan Watershed in collaboration with:
- The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Lakeview District Office
- The Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council
The watershed has burned in several of the region’s major wildfires in recent years, providing a living classroom for discussing fire recovery, vegetation response and watershed resilience.
Oregon artists at the center
Most of the artists in the residency were Oregon-based, including Kathleen Dean Moore, author and Distinguished Professor of philosophy at Oregon State University.
“It was amazing how many shared values came out of this experience,” said Kris Norris, executive director of PLAYA. “The processes are very similar in art and science and yet scientists and artists rarely collaborate. When people stay in the same place and are infused with the natural science assets that are around PLAYA to inspire this type of ‘cross pollination,’ collaborations might start happening, creating positive outcomes for environmental change.”
Previously titled Science of wildfire, provided by OSU Extension, influences art exhibition
