Wildling Museum’s 17th Annual Spring BBQ and Wilderness Spirit Award

Image:The Wildling Museum’s 2020 Wilderness Spirit Awardee is acclaimed underwater photographer Richard Salas, Courtesy Richard Salas.

Event: The Wildling Museum’s 17th Annual Spring BBQ & 2020 Wilderness Spirit Award

Date: Sunday, April 26, 2020, VIP reception at 2 p.m., followed by 3 – 6 p.m. main event

Admission: VIP Admission $250 (Includes Early Entry), General Admission $150

Location: Firestone Vineyard, 5017 Zaca Station Road, Los Olivos, CA 93441

On Sunday, April 26, 2020, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature will host its 17th Annual Spring BBQ Fundraiser, sponsored by Northern Trust. The event will also be a celebration of the Wildling Museum’s 20th anniversary.

This event is a wonderful opportunity to spend an afternoon at the historic Firestone Vineyard in Los Olivos and enjoy a delicious barbeque dinner complemented by the fine wines of Firestone Winery. Attendees will enjoy live music by Rebecca Troon, as well as plentiful silent and live auctions, and the presentation of the Wildling Museum’s 2020 Wilderness Spirit Award, an annual recognition of a person or group who strives to bring awareness to wilderness protection and preservation.

This year, the Wildling Museum is honored to present the 2020 Wilderness Spirit Award to renowned underwater photographer and author Richard Salas, whose incredible work embodies the Wildling Museum’s mission of bringing art and nature together as a means of preserving our wild spaces.

“While I realize that as an individual, I have never been more than a drop of water in the face of the vastness of the ocean, I have also seen that as a species, our collective weight is having a profound and harmful impact on our seas,” says Richard Salas. “With my lights and lots of patience, I create dimensionality in my photographs of these beings so that they may leap off the page to meet and greet the viewer. Through my images, I hope to convey the profound sense of oneness with the underwater world that I feel when I am diving. I am committed to using my art to spark in others both a reverence and a sense of responsibility for all ocean life.”

Event Sponsors and their guests will be invited to an exclusive VIP Reception at 2 p.m. before the start of the event to meet the Museum’s honoree, Richard Salas and enjoy a toast prior to the 3 p.m. main event. The Wilding Museum is seeking additional sponsors and silent auction donations.

Special thanks to Gold Sponsor Northern Trust and Table Sponsors Kevin and Terrie Patterson and George and Denise
Rose.

To purchase tickets or to sponsor this event, please CLICK HERE, call (805) 686-8315, or stop by the Wildling Museum. Please note that advance ticket registration is required for this event and space is limited.

About Richard Salas – 2020 Wilderness Spirit Honoree

Richard Salas is a California native and graduate from Brooks Institute of Photography, where he was mentored by Ernest Brooks II and first introduced to diving and underwater photography. Richard has worked professionally in digital media for over twenty-four years and his distinct approach to bringing out the texture and depth of his underwater subjects is informed by years of experience in lighting products and people. He has authored three books of photography, including Sea of Light: Underwater Photography of California’s Channel Islands, Blue Visions: Underwater Photography from the Mexican Border to the Equator, and Luminous Sea: Underwater Photography from Washington to Alaska.

Salas’ mission is to take viewers through a marine biosphere where humanity’s impact is an undeniable force. While many new endemic species are discovered every year, others have disappeared from it completely. Salas’ striking images illuminate the unique vitality of every organism he encounters. Salas teaches underwater photography in Alaska, Canada, California, and Mexico and is a strong advocate for the sea and its inhabitants.

About the Wildling Museum

The Wildling Museum of Art & Nature, where art and nature meet, offers visitors a unique perspective on the importance of preserving our natural heritage. Through the eyes of artists, and education and field experiences, guests can renew their relationship with the wilderness and understand its fragile nature – hopefully leaving more committed toward ensuring those spaces remain for future generations.

The Museum is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays). For more information, and to volunteer or join as a member to support this important local arts and nature institution, please CLICK HERE