Greetings!

Welcome to Steve and Karen's March 2010 newsletter. Our trip to the Mojave desert, including several days in the northern part of Death Valley was fantastic. All but one of the roads we hoped to explore had been reopened after the recent El Nino driven rains. There was still strong evidence of winter rain: for example, there were still several inches of water on the huge playa surface of the 'Racetrack'. We were fortunate to enjoy fine weather that allowed us to explore a wide range of landscapes and geological features spanning several hundred square miles. For much of the time we were virtually alone. When we moved south into the more popular central part of the park, there was no dearth of company. Nonetheless, once you walked even a few hundred feet from the head of most hiking trails, the population density decreased to a tolerable level and discussion of shopping on eBay or the latest sale at Robinson May was left behind. The entire trip made me want to reread John McPhee's Assembling California again. The recent earthquakes remind us again of the powerful geological forces that are so clearly manifest in Death Valley.

On another topic, both of our websites have been completely redesigned since our return. You can see Steve's newly configured site at http://www.stephenstrom.com/. Karen's site can be viewed at http://www.karenstrom.com.

On Saturday, March 13 at 1 pm, Steve and his co-author, Douglas Isbell, will take part in a discussion, "Beneath the Starry Skies: Exploring the Observatories of the Southwest," moderated by Dr. Sidney Wolf. The discussion will take place at the UofA Bookstore as a part of the Tucson Festival of the Book. The authors will then sign books at the U of A Press Booth, #86, on the mall near the Modern Languages building, at 3:30.

On Saturday March 6, the PhotoSpiva 2010 exhibit opens in Joplin, MO. Karen has had one of her images, Warehouse, Marfa, TX, accepted in this competition. On March 1, the Portfolio ShowCase Volume 4 containing a portfolio of Steve's landscape images became available online from the Center for Fine Art Photography. While there is no physical exhibit, the online exhibit will remain available and a book should become available through the website in May.

Immediately after Steve's book signing at the Tucson Festival of the Book, we will leave for the drive to Houston for The Meeting Place at FotoFest 2010. At this event, we will both have portfolio reviews with between 16 and 20 curators, gallery owners, collectors and publishers. These events have been very rewarding for us in the past, leading to Steve's book, Earth Forms, and our exhibit and trip to China as well as the opportunity to meet with other photographers, many of whom are creating powerful bodies of work. We look forward to meeting new and old friends and seeing many new portfolios. During the trip to Houston, Steve will present a lecture outlining the evolution of his vision and will sign copies Earth Forms at the Houston Center for Photography.

Karen has received a signal honor. At age 68+, she will be the Emerging Artist at Verve Gallery of Photography in Santa Fe during the exhibit featuring Mark Citret, Douglas Ethridge and Dominic Rouse opening on March 19 and running through May 8. On our return drive from Houston, we will stop in Santa Fe to see the show.

To end the month, on March 27, in Patagonia, Karen will take part in SWAN Day in Patagonia, an event celebrating women artists in Southeastern Arizona. Karen will be available at the Metamorphosis Gallery in Patagonia to show and discuss her work. Work from other women artists in the area will be available throughout Patagonia as well.

On April 1 the Beyond the Lens photography exhibit opens at the Tubac Center for the Arts, with an opening reception from 5 - 7 pm that evening. Both Steve and Karen have images accepted into the show.

In April we travel to the East coast to visit museums and galleries. Steve will present two talks, at the Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge and at UMass in Amherst. There will also be a book signing for Earth Forms at The Odyssey in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

We travel to the Portland area in May for photography on the Oregon coast and in the eastern Oregon desert and for Steve's show at the Camerawork Gallery. In July Steve and Karen will have a joint show at the Open Shutter Gallery in Durango, CO.