As part of a continuing celebration of 100 years of national parks in 2016, the public is invited to enjoy a spring event in the native plant garden on April 9, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center in the Ventura Harbor.
This Find Your Park event features new displays of art sculptures, interpretive signs, and native plant interpretive guides, as well as a sale of Channel Islands native plants.
Internationally-renowned artist BiJian Fan designed the new orgami-style sculptures, which create an engaging environment in which visitors can explore some of the unique animals found on the Channel Islands. BiJian Fan, who has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, was born in Beijing, China, but now lives in Camarillo, where he combines science and art to form his unique sculptures.
The event will also feature botanical illustrations by artist Ellie Yun-Hui Tu, a local product designer and illustrator whose paintings of Channel Islands native plants were chosen for display at the “Flora of National Parks” exhibit in Washington, D.C.
Fan will present two talks about ways to connect people to parks through art and the inspiration he found in creating the garden wildlife sculptures at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. Yun-Hui Tu will share the secrets and steps in creating pen and ink botanical illustrations in a presentation at 2:00 pm. At 1:00 pm, there will be a ranger-led program on bird adaptations called Neat Beaks.
Children’s activities will take place throughout the day, including a native plant garden scavenger hunt, art rubbings of native plants, origami crafts, and a button-making station. Junior Ranger booklets and activities will also be available for children to complete, inorder to earn their Junior Ranger badges.
The event is a great opportunity for California native plant lovers to find at least ten varieties of native plants unique to the Channel Islands at a plant sale from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. The sale is sponsored by the Channel Islands Park Foundation and supported by volunteers from the Ventura County Master Gardeners. Proceeds from the sale (cash or checks only) will support the garden.
