Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1500790
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JUNE 7 - 13, 2023 UCW 13 COVER Rittenhouse has chosen to paint something she is passionate about. It is that passion that continues to inspire and stimulate her creativity. rough the mediums of watercolor and alcohol inks, she is able to express her emotions for the subjects she chooses to paint. Even though Ritten- house's work is a creative and inter- pretative approach to color and form, a glimpse into biodiversity appears in the way the artist uses colors, shapes and sea life in their watery environment. Rittenhouse invites us to look at what is overlooked. We are moved to feel what she has experienced — a wonderous, vigorous and harmoni- ous ecosystem filled with an array of bright colors and constant move- ment. e rhythm of tides can be experienced through the artists' use of patterns of color and passages of light. Even in her small works, we become immersed and float just beneath the surface of a watery and shifting place. It was not by accident e Ocean World of Ivy Rittenhouse opens on June 8. Rittenhouse is a naturalist and an activist who is highly aware of how the coral reefs are being damaged by ocean acidification, so it was appro- priate for her first one-person exhi- bition to open on this day — World Oceans Day. World Oceans Day was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008 to raise awareness about the role of the United Nations and interna- tional law in the sustainable use of the oceans and their living and non-living resources. World Oceans Day was established to remind everyone of the importance and major roles the oceans have on planet Earth and sustainability. Gallery 208 celebrates Ivy Rit- tenhouse as an artist who not only appreciates and understands our biosphere but is able to successfully share and express her experiences of water and water life with others through the discipline of art making. Her body of work is a celebration of our aquatic ecosystem, its stunning beauty, and also its mysteries. e public is welcome to meet the artist during the opening of e Ocean World of Ivy Rittenhouse between 5:30 and 7 p.m. on June 8. e exhibit will remain in Gallery 208 until Sept. 15. Gallery 208 is located at 208 Rowan Street in Fayetteville, and is open Monday through ursday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information call 910-484-6200. SONI MARTIN, Gallery 208 Curator. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. What everyone can do to protect the world's oceans a STAFF REPORT e world's oceans are facing significant chal- lenges. According to the United Nations Regional Information Center, each year the oceans absorb 23% of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions and capture 90% of the excess heat created by these emissions. ese developments are overwhelming the oceans, which are vital to the global ecosystem. Anyone can join in the effort to protect the world's oceans. at includes people who live in coastal communities and those who live in landlocked locales hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from the coast. Oceana, an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans, touts the power of collective ef- forts to save the oceans. ough the task may seem overwhelming, that does not mean oceans are beyond saving. In fact, Oceana notes that various lifestyle choices indi- viduals can make every day can help to protect the oceans and restore their futures. Help reduce demand for plastics. Oceana estimates that 17.6 billion pounds of plastic leaks into the ocean every year. To put that in perspective, one researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara estimated that, if the flow of plastic into the oceans does not stop, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050. Of course, much of the demand for plastic is driven by consumers, who can protect the oceans by purchasing plastic-free alternatives and emphasiz- ing the need for more such alternatives to be made available. Avoid using plastic cutlery, plastic water bottles, plastic bags, and other convenient yet harm- ful plastics. Reduce your carbon footprint. Oceana notes that carbon dioxide is making oceans more acidic, which contributes to a loss of coral that serves as an essential source of food and shelter for marine life. According to the Reef-World Foundation, loss of coral threatens the existence of many marine spe- cies, producing a domino effect that ultimately de- creases marine biodiversity by a significant amount. at's problematic for marine life, but also humans, as estimates from the United Nations indicate as many as one billion people across the globe depend on coral reefs for their food and livelihoods. e threat posed to coral reefs is substantial, but the efforts to reduce your carbon footprint aren't. Riding a bike to run errands on a warm day instead of driving a car; turning off the lights when leaving a room; and dressing warm on cold days to reduce reliance on home heating systems are some easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Eat sustainable seafood. e National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes that sustain- able seafood is managed under a system of enforced environmentally responsible practices. ese systems help to prevent overfishing and conserve essential fish habitats. Knowing which seafood is sustainable and which isn't can be hard, so individ- uals can visit Seafoodwatch.org to quickly identify and locate sustainable seafood options where they live and travel. Leave nothing behind. Make sure you leave noth- ing behind when visiting the beach or even a park. Doing so increases the chances that trash will end up in the oceans, which are already overwhelmed by plastics. e threat posed to the world's oceans is signifi- cant. But that threat can be overcome by a collec- tive effort to embrace lifestyle choices that take the health of the world's oceans into consideration. Koi by Ivy Rittenhouse Ocean World Series, Blue Flux by Ivy Rittenhouse Ocean World Series, Deep Blue by Ivy Rittenhouse Overview, Ocean World Series by Ivy Rittenhouse