Hello! My name is Kate Lochridge, and I am a marine biology and fine art dual major from Bowling Green, Ohio. One of the best parts of science is sharing it with the community. One way to do that is by using fine art to help new audiences access and understand topics they would not otherwise be exposed to.
![Kate and Nicole stand together with one arm around each other. They are smiling and standing next to a display of paintings, which are nested inside of a 1 meter by 1 meter square made of pvc (a sampling quadrat). (Image credit: Nic Kinsman/National Geodetic Survey) Kate and Nicole stand together with one arm around each other. They are smiling and standing next to a display of paintings, which are nested inside of a 1 meter by 1 meter square made of pvc (a sampling quadrat).](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_width_1275/public/2022-10/Isostatic-Module-with-Mentor.jpg?h=8419b173&itok=mEHL0bjz)
Kate and her mentor, Nicole Kinsman, Ph.D., standing in front of Kate’s “Isostatic rebound” module. (Image credit: Nic Kinsman/National Geodetic Survey)
This is so important to me that the purpose of my internship was to use fine art to translate information from scientific reports, site visits, interviews with scientists and artists, and plein air observations (creating art while directly observing the environment) to encourage public discussion about sea level change in Southcentral Alaska.
My Hollings artist-in-residence experience at Kasitsna Bay Laboratory and with the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve resulted in an exhibit with multiple elements: a sketch journal and four sets of thematically grouped paintings that focused on the process of collecting data, illuminating ecosystem adaptation, the impact of earthquakes on local sea level, and creative education strategies. The collection was displayed at a free two-hour art show that was open to the Homer, Alaska, community, and it was attended by more than 85 people.
Getting to work with Kate ... and the whole network she built during her internship opened my eyes even more to the importance of including the fine arts in science. The discussion I was seeing happening at her final shows were like little sparks in the air - you could almost see them and definitely feel them.
Tour Kate's art show
This panorama shows the setup of Kate's art show. You can view a few paintings from each module of Kate's show below the panorama. The show consisted of four modules, each of which address a topic related to sea level change in southcentral Alaska. From left to right: “Impacts on ecosystems,” “Behind-the-scenes of data collection and production,” “Rapid vertical land movement,” “Novel methods of communication on glacial melt.”
![A panorama of Kate's work grouped in modules. Module one: several small paintings are arranged within a sampling quadrat, Module two: a large painting of rising data curve with a woman looking at a computer painting slightly overtop it is surrounded by four smaller paintings. Module three: two paintings atop wooden frames stood up on a table. Module four: another table holds several paintings and a notebook. (Image credit: Nic Kinsman) A panorama of Kate's work grouped in modules. Module one: several small paintings are arranged within a sampling quadrat, Module two: a large painting of rising data curve with a woman looking at a computer painting slightly overtop it is surrounded by four smaller paintings. Module three: two paintings atop wooden frames stood up on a table. Module four: another table holds several paintings and a notebook.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/IMG_0173.jpg?h=f715778e&itok=dDL4_D4t)
Impacts on ecosystems: Isostatic rebound
In coastal marshes, isostatic rebound can cause shifts in salt water extent and salt water concentration. Isostatic rebound occurs when glaciers retreat and the land, freshly unburdened by the weight of the ice, lifts up. The paintings in this module reference photographs taken by scientists at the Kachemak Bay NERR who research coastal marsh plant communities, which change in response to shifts in the boundary between fresh and salt water.
![Kate and Nicole stand together with one arm around each other. They are smiling and standing next to a display of paintings, which are nested inside of a 1 meter by 1 meter square made of pvc (a sampling quadrat). (Image credit: Nic Kinsman/National Geodetic Survey) Kate and Nicole stand together with one arm around each other. They are smiling and standing next to a display of paintings, which are nested inside of a 1 meter by 1 meter square made of pvc (a sampling quadrat).](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Isostatic-Module-with-Mentor.jpg?h=2e12ab8c&itok=9egaHmWr)
Behind-the-scenes of data collection and production
In Southcentral Alaska, the land is uplifting faster than the ocean is rising, resulting in decreasing sea levels in the region (relative sea level change), even as the ocean level rises globally. Scientists predict that as the rate of sea level rise accelerates under future climate change scenarios, it will eventually catch up with, and surpass, vertical land movement in Southcentral Alaska. Regional planners need projections of future relative sea level rise to build resiliently, and creating such projections requires scientists to collect large amounts of data. The paintings in this module illuminate the data collection and processing needed to provide sea level rise projections to the public.
See the 2022 sea level rise technical report, which includes the information discussed above.
The paintings in this module were based on source images taken by NOAA contractor JOA Surveys LLC.
![A large painting with two smaller paintings on the wall on either side. The large painting is a data line graph of rising sea level with the title "Sea Level Rise for Different Sea Level Scenarios: Seldovia. A painting of a woman working at a computer is overlaid on the painting of the graph. She appears to be working in coding software on the computer screen. (Image credit: Nic Kinsman) A large painting with two smaller paintings on the wall on either side. The large painting is a data line graph of rising sea level with the title "Sea Level Rise for Different Sea Level Scenarios: Seldovia. A painting of a woman working at a computer is overlaid on the painting of the graph. She appears to be working in coding software on the computer screen.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Explaining-the-Show.jpg?h=e5298975&itok=Ieww1bKe)
![Kate holds a ruler as her sister places a painting. The left painting shows someone holding a pole that extends several feet above them while another person looks through a surveying tripod in a coastal area. The second painting shows a scuba diver mid-jump from a boat docked near the shore. (Image credit: Nic Kinsman) Kate holds a ruler as her sister places a painting. The left painting shows someone holding a pole that extends several feet above them while another person looks through a surveying tripod in a coastal area. The second painting shows a scuba diver mid-jump from a boat docked near the shore.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Setting-up.jpg?h=e9ed81df&itok=E_eyJJWh)
![Kate is captured mid-gesture as she talks to two people at her art show. (Image credit: Nic Kinsman) Kate is captured mid-gesture as she talks to two people at her art show.](/sites/default/files/2022-10/Explaining-the-Show.jpg)
Rapid vertical land movement
Some vertical land movement that affects relative sea level changes takes place over centuries, while other movement caused by seismic events, such as Alaska's infamous 1964 earthquake, can happen in a matter of minutes. Here, Kate shows how sinking of the ground (subsidence) associated with the 1964 earthquake dropped portions of the town of Seldovia, Alaska, below local mean sea level, resulting in coastal flooding and highlighting the highly variable nature of sea level trends in areas that experience rapid vertical land motion.
![Two paintings displayed on a table. On the left is a snowy coastal town with a mountainous landscape behind it. The painting rests on a wooden frame with a cut out hexagon. The right painting shows the same town from a more distant location, but the coastal waters now flood the town by what appears to be a few feet above the elevated frames that many houses rested on. The painting is on a wooden frame with a circle cutout and a ruler in the circular opening. (Image credit: Nic Kinsman) Two paintings displayed on a table. On the left is a snowy coastal town with a mountainous landscape behind it. The painting rests on a wooden frame with a cut out hexagon. The right painting shows the same town from a more distant location, but the coastal waters now flood the town by what appears to be a few feet above the elevated frames that many houses rested on. The painting is on a wooden frame with a circle cutout and a ruler in the circular opening.](/sites/default/files/2022-10/Seldovia-Paintings-on-Display.jpg)
Novel methods of communication on glacial melt
This module featured a painting and Kate's sketchbook. The painting shows fellow Hollings summer interns standing near a marker that showed the extent of the Exit glacier in the year 1899 along a trail where visitors can hike and learn about glacial retreat and ecological responses. While working on her sketchbook, Kate spoke to many people about her work and the scientific processes she saw reflected in the surroundings that she illustrated.
![A woman wearing a fabric face mask over her mouth and nose looks at an open sketch book, which contains a watercolor painting and handwritten notes. Behind her, there is a painting of a group of people standing alongside the road next to a sign that reads "1899" (Image credit: Nic Kinsman) A woman wearing a fabric face mask over her mouth and nose looks at an open sketch book, which contains a watercolor painting and handwritten notes. Behind her, there is a painting of a group of people standing alongside the road next to a sign that reads "1899"](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Examining-the-Sketch-Journal.jpg?h=c2adcb61&itok=M1GwiP9E)
![An eroded coastal cliffside with large rocks scattered at its base. A few conifers and shrubs hugs the top of the cliff. The painting evokes a sense of downward movement along the cliff towards calm water. (Image credit: Kate Lochridge) An eroded coastal cliffside with large rocks scattered at its base. A few conifers and shrubs hugs the top of the cliff. The painting evokes a sense of downward movement along the cliff towards calm water.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Coastal-Erosion-watercolor-study-Whiter-background.jpg?h=b12c870a&itok=FyGKndvD)
![A pen sketch of a raised coastal home nested in trees and vegetation. Mountains extend beyond the house and alongside the coastal waters. (Image credit: Kate Lochridge) A pen sketch of a raised coastal home nested in trees and vegetation. Mountains extend beyond the house and alongside the coastal waters.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Coastal-Property-pen-study.jpg?h=0674cc55&itok=xSJ5d17z)
![A mountain range against a red watercolor sky. The mountains are painted in greens, blues, oranges, and reds. (Image credit: Kate Lochridge) A mountain range against a red watercolor sky. The mountains are painted in greens, blues, oranges, and reds.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Colored-mountain-range-watercolor-study.jpg?h=cdfd393e&itok=IbVkZGHp)
![An ink sketch of a rocky beach and mountains in the background. Two people are on the beach, small next to the mountains. The childlike figure appears to be running with arms up, while an adult figure stands on a rock next to the child and looks towards the mountains. (Image credit: Kate Lochridge) An ink sketch of a rocky beach and mountains in the background. Two people are on the beach, small next to the mountains. The childlike figure appears to be running with arms up, while an adult figure stands on a rock next to the child and looks towards the mountains.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/parent-and-kid-by-the-mountains-pen-ink-study.jpg?h=ff92770e&itok=ZbIIva7Q)
![A calm watercolor painting of coastal waters with a mountain range in the background. The water is painted calmly, with a gentle tide. (Image credit: Kate Lochridge) A calm watercolor painting of coastal waters with a mountain range in the background. The water is painted calmly, with a gentle tide.](/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_1275/public/2022-10/Tidal-Gauge-watercolor.jpg?h=ed26d114&itok=RV-U8g6f)
![A black and white professional photo of Kate Lochridge (Image credit: Katie Marie Photography) A black and white professional photo of Kate Lochridge](/sites/default/files/styles/square_width_325/public/2022-10/KateLochridge.jpg?h=b0f05594&itok=F9MvrD86)
Kate Lochridge is a marine biology and fine art double major at Bowling Green State University offsite link.