Wanda's Picks Radio: Wednesday, April 30, 2014

 First we speak to Marie-Laure Vercambre  Director, Water for Life and Peace Programme, Green Cross International Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland about Acqua for Life, launched in 2011, which has in its first three years raised funds for the successful implementation of water pumps, wells and rainwater harvesting systems in more than 60 communities and schools in Ghana, Bolivia, Mexico and China, providing around 150 million litres of water per year. 

The aim of the campaign’s 4th edition will be to support the development of water systems in new communities in Africa (Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal), Latin America (Bolivia and Mexico), and Asia (Sri Lanka). It is also a timely milestone ahead of the next , the theme of which is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life  http://www.expo2015.org/en

We the shift to a conversation with three artists, Nyla Lark (Metalsmith, Wearable Art), Charles Tuggle (Collage, painting) and Clarence Towers (Photography), who are participating in the 25th Annual Hunter's Point Shipyard Open Studios, May 3-4, 11-6 in San Francisco.


Bios

Clarence Towers has been a creating images with both traditional (film) and digital images for many years.  His images are from the northwest and southwest United States, Europe and Japan.  He has exhibited his work in San Francisco, New York and Chicago, as well as in Japan.  Towers' current projects include photographing cowboys/cowgirls of color and large format abstract landscapes of the west with color transparencies, black and white film, as well as in the digital medium.

He is the former director of the San Francisco Photography Center, considered to be the largest publicly funded photographic facility in the United States.  It is located at the Harvey Milk Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

Charles Tuggle grew up in Chicago. When he was in high school, he always won prizes for his art.  When he was in college, he was interested in science and studied medical technology. Once he finished his studies in medical technology, Tuggle spent 2 years abroad studying art and translating.  When he was in England, he studied calligraphy and studied the different characteristics of calligraphy in different languages.

He had an art studio at Hunters Point Shipyard from 1976 to 1979. He lived in Nigeria for several years Then, he returned to California and worked in radiology at a Bay Area hospital.  He found a way to work part time and, then, have time to devote to his art. Tuggle now has his art studio at the Hunters Point Shipyard.

About Nyya Lark. She writes:

"Nature and contrasting combinations are the things that feed my imagination.

I have been a metalsmithing artist creating wearable art since 1983. The passion began as an avocation while living in New York City, a city of striking contrasts. As I was drawn to create using nature and metal as a medium, I discovered it to be a natural gift and have studied various metalsmithing techniques over the course of my career. 

The creative process involves taking the raw materials of precious metal sheet and wire and semi-precious stones and creating works that reflect contrast; soft embracing hard, finished and polished with the raw and uncut - always in balance in the final piece.

The beauty of each natural part speaks to how it will come into being. 

I hope that you enjoy each of my one of a kind work and will venture to see more in upcoming shows."

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wandas-picks/2014/04/30/wandas-picks-radio-showmlvercambre-water-for-life-peaceshipyard-artists