An Exploration of California’s Water Story 

The first publication by the newly renamed California Nature Art Museum in Solvang (formerly the Wildling Museum of Art & Nature) builds quite nicely on the institution’s vision to “be recognized as an exceptional and innovative leader in inspiring our communities and visitors to value wilderness and other natural areas through the lenses of a diversity of artists.” Featuring text and stunning photography by George Rose, California’s Changing Landscape: The Way of Water is an expansive large-format documentation of California’s vast terrain, complicated weather, and extensive biodiversity — particularly as they relate to water and, as naturally follows, climate change. 

“Climate change is an indisputable fact,” writes Executive Director Stacey Otte-Demangate in the book’s introduction. “California’s water systems have always been complicated, but the recent severe drought, no doubt made more severe due to climate change, has shone a bright light on those systems and raised new concerns and questions.”

Rose, whose photojournalism career has taken him from the entertainment industry to the sidelines of the NFL and, most recently, the wine industry, began this project during the COVID-19 pandemic, just as the effects of drought were becoming increasingly visible. His images capture those dramatic scenes as well as the effects when suddenly, in early 2023, California was hit with record-setting rain and snowstorms, which effectively filled reservoirs and — for that moment in time — ended the longstanding drought and enabled him to capture California’s landscapes as both dry and thirsty, and as lush and full, for an impressively broad look at our landscape.

“I started this project without realizing what I was witnessing,” stated Rose. “As a working photojournalist for more than 50 years, I have taken a myriad of images depicting each of California’s seasonal cycles: the fires; the floods; and on-again, off-again drought. As I looked back, I realized I was witnessing a changing climate and landscape. Little did I know that 2020 would be my great awakening.” 

Photographs from the book are currently on view at the California Nature Art Museum through July 8 in a solo exhibit with the same title as the book: California’s Changing Landscape: The Way of Water.

“George’s eye for compelling landscapes and the stories they can tell is truly amazing,” said Otte-Demangate. —Leslie Dinaberg

The book California’s Changing Landscape: The Way of Water is now available for purchase exclusively from the museum, with all proceeds going directly to the nonprofit organization, the only art and nature museum in California. In addition, Rose will be doing a book signing and presentation at the California Nature Art Museum (1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang) on Friday, April, 12 at 4:30 p.m. For more information, see calnatureartmuseum.org.