NOT the way to do "art" in the parks

[rhughes]

This popped up on a local hikers chat group. Let's hope misguided persons like this don't visit Glacier.

http://www.modernhiker.com/2014/10/21/i ... nal-parks/

[Selkie]

That's sad. A travesty. The trail on social media seems to be broad, so perhaps the activity will terminate quickly.

I was thinking the other day about beautiful landscapes igniting a corresponding response in the brain, an urge to draw or paint or photograph them (though drawing and painting take a different course than photographing). I feel more part of a place when I can settle in for a period of sketching or pastels, not striving to reach the peak or pass, just looking -- and working the brain and hand in a different way.

[joybird]

[llholmes1948]

This must be why they now allow firearms in Parks.

[Jen]

I don't understand how someone can think they can improve on nature's glory. That isn't art. It is narcissistic vandalism.

This person clearly has an overblown ego to think that her art is something superior.

This is gross.

[Selkie]

Although she describes herself as a graphic artist, I'm going with narcissistic vandalism.

Some of the comments mentioned the difficulty of wire-brush scrubbing of acrylic paint.


A Thursday article from the Denver Post, not too much new: "Feds chase criminal case against artist who marred rocks in parks":
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_2 ... e=infinite

The original article is also being updated from time to time. The 4th update indicates that apparently someone -- troll, alias -- took over her Tumblr account and claimed (in her name) to be the new Banksy and promised to start defacing gravestones next. This could get entertaining -- if one bears in mind it's an alias (the comic book version of real life).

[joybird]

On 10/22 someone started a "We the People" petition to the White House asking them to pursue "the most serious charges" against her and not let her get away with just "a slap."

http://wh.gov/iOMLh

There were more than 3800 signatures when I signed this morning. They need 100,000 by Nov. 21st to trigger an official White House response. While I have no idea if these petitions actually DO anything, I do hope that it (and other efforts?) will help pressure the appropriate authorities to go for the maximum sentence. Besides holding Ms. Nocket accountable with some serious consequences, a clear message must be sent to discourage would-be copycats.

Ick, ick, ick.

[joybird]

Press release from the NPS:

http://home.nps.gov/news/release.htm?id=1649

[Selkie]

Well, the NPS, like the CDC, is significantly underfunded, so I am not betting too much on anything other than a fine and slap on the wrist a few years down the road. The alleged perp seems to be reasonably well known; someone posted a photo of her teaching summer art school (good grief!), and her hometown is known, so it should not be too difficult to find her. The NPS Morning Report hasn't yet said anything about it (when I checked yesterday), but most often talks about meth labs, murders committed in parks, suicides, smuggling, kidnapping, arson, and so forth. Defacement by acrylic, though it seems heinous to us, may well be far down the list of NPS concerns, especially as the artist has voluntarily stopped.

100,000 signatures pushes the online petition over the numerical hurdle of generating a response. "The matter is being pursued by the appropriate federal authorities."

Not too much to do, I'm afraid.

[rhughes]

What the folks in my neighborhood are saying about this, if you are interested:

http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopi ... sc&start=0

We North Cascadians tend to get testy when someone starts to mess with the wilderness.