THE ICE IS MELTING

MELTING ICE ON GREENLAND GLACIER

MORE MELTING ICE ON GREENLAND GLACIER

Sometimes one is lucky to be able to catch a glimpse of nature in its raw beauty and changing face.  Two years ago, while flying over Greenland, I glanced out the plane’s window and saw, through a brief opening in the cloud cover, azure-colored lakes on top of the Greenland glaciers.  I grabbed my camera and snapped a few photos.  At the time I did not think much about the pictures, but now I know I captured examples of melting ice—a consequence of man’s contribution to our warming planet.

The scientists are learning that the melting of Greenland is accelerating.  As the temperature rises, large lakes form on the surface of the ice.   I was not aware until reading some scientific journals that the snow on the glaciers of Greenland is no longer blinding white!  It is darkening because of  a variety of causes such as the massive pollution residue from the burning of fossil fuels including coal; an increased amount of soot from enormous wildfires; and dust from drought stricken areas. This situation of polluted particles on the ice has serious implications for global warming because it drops the reflectiveness of the Greenland glacial ice.  I also learned over the weekend even the dust stirred up by the bombing of Syria is causing serious air pollution in that area.  Ultimately that dust has to settle somewhere?  Regarding this topic,  please take a moment to read www.theweathernetwork.com’s article on dark snow.  Many other studies have been published about the ice melt in Greenland and below you can find links to just a few that I have read about the topic of global warming.   

NASA has been doing intensive research in the attempt to try to understand the changes that will be forthcoming because of climate change.  As is known by now, some Republicans who lead in Congress are questioning this research.  They continue to deny scientific consensus that humans are causing a warming of the planet. 

I found the following information unsettling--“Interesting to note that our civilization developed and constructed a very extensive infrastructure during a period of unusual climate stability—the Holocene—which was almost 12,000 years in duration.  The question is raised:  IS THAT PERIOD ABOUT TO END?  in the important following study: “Climate Change and Trace Gases”  Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A (2007) 365, 1925–1954 doi:10.1098/rsta.2007.2052 Published online 18 May 2007 (pubs.giss. nasa.gov)

Other articles and videos that I have read:
“Greenland Is Melting Away”  New York Times by CORAL DAVENPORT, JOSH HANER, LARRY BUCHANAN and DEREK WATKINS

http://www.vice.com/video/greenland-is-melting-bonded-labor-000

ipcc.ch  (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNFCC)

“Short Answers to Hard Questions About Climate Change”:  New York Times by Justin Gillis  Nov. 28, 2015

www.livescience.com  “Holocene Epoch:  The Age of Man”  March 27, 2013

qz.com:  Bill Gates:  “Why I’m investing $1 billion of my own money into clean energy research”.  August 3, 2015

Artist website: www.maryloudauray.com

PHOTOSHOPPING A PHOTO OF THE SIERRA MOUNTAINS

Sunset over the Sierra Nevada Mountains (Photo taken with iPhone)

Photoshop versions

While flying over the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains last week I quickly took a photo out the window with my trusty iPhone.  The stunning beauty of the sun casting pink color on the snowy mountain peaks captivated me and I was lucky to capture the view. 

Today, I had a Photoshop lesson and began to digitally adjust the photo.  I do realize that the mountains cannot be made any more beautiful, but I wanted to learn how to do some artistic digital photo techniques!  I am very much enjoying  some of the many ways Photoshop can enhance, change, alter and encourage my creativity. If any of you want to share some ideas on this subject, I would love to hear from you.

www.maryloudauray.com

HERSTORY

The Symbol

A Mother

The March

Usually in my blog I talk about art I am either working on or have finished.  Today, however, I am relating a different kind of story—a saga that has been ongoing for 38 years and to which a symbol or logo has been ascribed:  a white headscarf.

Every single Thursday a group of mothers, sisters, and relatives, wearing white headscarves, and called the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, march around the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  They march for justice and to remind the world about the disappearance of their sons and daughters during political violence in the country between the 1970’s and 1980’s.   More than 30,000 people were kidnapped and murdered by Argentinian extremist right-wing groups, or the military government, that seized power in a coup in 1976.

The mothers, in April of 1977, wanted to know what had happened to their children who had begun to disappear.  A group of them spontaneously grabbed each other’s arms and started walking around the plaza in front of the presidential palace.  It was the very first act of a courageous movement.  At the beginning, three of the founding mothers, along with two French nuns and several activists disappeared, were tortured and thrown alive from planes.  Nevertheless, and despite threats, other mothers continued to march. Many of the mothers have now died and some are in their 80’s.  Last Thursday, while visiting Buenos Aires, I happened upon this march and had the privilege of walking along with the mothers and other supporters.  Words cannot describe the overwhelming feeling of sadness I experienced for their losses and as well as profound admiration for their courage, strength and determination.