The Value of a Datapoint
In high school, his passions were art and the environment. He wanted to go to art school after he graduated, but his parents convinced him to attend college.
“You can study environmental sciences,” his father said. “It will provide job security.”
When he scowled, his mother added, “and contribute to your ambition to depict environmental degradation through your paintings.”
He went along with his parents’ wishes. By second year, he was spending all his time and effort on outside art classes. He dropped out of university and devoted himself to his art. He might not make much money, but it was a better choice. He’d be happier.
He developed a routine; early morning beach walks followed by hours painting landscapes that depicted environmental degradation. On his walks, he often stopped and talked to an old university professor who was making daily measurements of biological conditions.
“Long-term record of the changes,” she said, “is the only way to prove we’re seeing environmental degradation.”
He smiled, but said nothing as he watched her process her samples. Over the following months, he often helped with her sampling efforts. As the old biologist became frailer, he did more of the work. When she became too frail to walk to the beach, he began collecting the samples, making the measurements, and submitting the results to the university.
For years, no one acknowledged his efforts, but he kept submitting his results. Then a new professor discovered the fifty-year-long dataset. She invited him to the climate change symposium she organized.
He arrived, hoping they’d offer him a few minutes to discuss digital photos of his paintings. They were his record of the environmental deterioration he’d observed over thirty years as a landscape artist.
They offered him much more. During the lunch they put on for all participants, the university president stood and praised his efforts. He conferred an honorary degree on our artist. In the afternoon, they offered him an hour to describe his work.
One student summed it up beautifully. “Wow! One picture is definitely worth a thousand data points.”
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Alan, I deeply appreciated this story. I do believe that the role of the artist in our collective challenges is one that has often been ignored. And yet, it has often been the artists that have drawn attention to problems. It’s what many of us are trying to do on this site – use our writing skills to increase awareness. Fiction is a great medium, as are the visual arts. I love the painting that accompanies your story – is there a real environmental painter behind that? Kudos on your newest story and on all the work you do to increase awareness.
Hello, thanks for the comments. The painting was done years ago by my brother, Craig Yeats, a Vancouver BC artist. The procedure for posting a story doesn’t give us an opportunity to attribute the cover photos, so this is my chance. Here’s a video of him making like Bob Ross from PBS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KERX2oJVAE
The painting is hanging on the wall opposite my desk in my work area. Staring at it inspired this story.
A great story, Alan, and I was happy to see that Julie asked what I wanted to know: how did you find the painting? Thanks for including the link. It’s a wonderful video and I admire both Craig’s paintings and Ehren McPhee’s recording and editing. So both you and your brother have these combined interests/talents in nature and environmental work as well as artistic creation. Both of you are contributing to a better future! Thank you!
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Hope I can make a contribution to a better future – that’s far from a sure thing. Maybe the book I’m getting ready to publish will convince two people, and if each of them convinces two more … – I can always hope.