March 2022 Newsletter
As a lifelong conservationist, Obi Kaufmann has dedicated his life to understanding California Ecology, by cross-pollinating aesthetics and academics. As an artist, Kaufmann's work blends art and science, connecting the elements; earth, fire, water and air. His work is therefore deeply saturated in California's natural history, coming to life in pictures he creates both in his writings and physical art pieces.
Art, Nature, and the Fabric of Life
Obi Kaufmann regularly travels around the state, presenting his work and vision to such groups as the Mojave Desert Land Trust, the Mechanics Institute of San Francisco, the Anza Borrego Foundation, the Mono Lake Committee, the University of California at Berkeley Botanical Garden, the Peninsula Open Space Trust, and the California Native Plant Society. Obi is on the board of Directors of the California Wilderness Coalition and is winner of the 2019 Mark Dubois river protection award as presented by Friends of the River.
Notable recent illustration projects include being the 2020 artist for the nationally-toured Wild and Scenic Film Festival and in 2021, working as the illustrator of for the book “Climate Stewardship, a certification program” by Dr. Adina Merenlender (UCPress, Berkeley, 2021), and wine labels for ALMA FRIA from West Sonoma County. Obi’s essays and paintings have been published in Dark Mountain literary Journal, Zyzzyva literary journal, Bay Nature Magazine, Western Art & Architecture, Sunset Magazine, Juxtapoz Magazine, and On the Range magazine. A long time collaborator with the Swedish brand INDIGOFERA, Obi assists in the designs of the clothes that he wears into the backcountry of California, where he does his best work. Obi regularly posts his work on instagram as @coyotethunder.
Please check out his works: https://coyoteandthunder.com
Books, published:
01. The California Field Atlas(2017, HEYDAY, Berkeley, CA) — number one regional best-seller, San Francisco Chronicle; winner of the gold medal for significant contribution to publishing by the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco
02. The State of Water; Understanding California’s most precious resource (2019, HEYDAY, Berkeley, CA) — top-ten regional best-seller, San Francisco Chronicle
03. The Forests of California, a California Field Atlas; Vol 01 — California Lands Trilogy (2020, HEYDAY, Berkeley, CA) — top-ten regional best-seller, San Francisco Chronicle; nominated for non-fiction book of the year, California Book Awards
Books, pending:
04. The Coasts of California, A California Field Atlas; Vol 02 — California Lands Trilogy (2022, HEYDAY)
05. The Deserts of California, A California Field Atlas; Vol 03 — California Lands Trilogy (2024, HEYDAY)
06. The State of Fire; Where, how and why California burns (2025, HEYDAY)
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