Enumclaw photographer Lisa Parsons returns to the city of Enumclaw’s Gallery 2008 with Journey to Andean Highlands and Jungles of Peru. The exhibit opens Wednesday and runs through Jan. 7 at city hall. An artist reception is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 18 at City Hall. Following the reception, Parsons invites the community to view a slide show and South American wine tasting at Sip City Wines in Enumclaw.
Parsons takes visitors on a journey to the Andean highlands and jungles of Peru through her photography exhibit. Parsons spent seven weeks touring Peru, photographing the country’s diverse landscapes and people. This exhibit is a photo journey to some of the places she visited on the adventure.
Parsons mountain-biked in the surrounding mountains of the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra around the mountain town of Haurez, which is the base camp for international climbers heading to some of the Andes’ highest peaks. She stayed at an inn at 12,000 feet that is owned by an expatriate Canadian couple who are doing wonderful work in the surrounding community. There she visited a local school and met local residents. She also rode a horse named Yurak Yacu to the base of Mount Pucaranra in the Cordillera Blanca of the Huscaran National Park.
She spent 10 days mountain biking above 10,000 feet into the backcountry of Peru’s Andean Highlands and the Manu High Cloud Rainforest with an international team of adventurers.
In between, she rafted the world class Apurimac River in a remote section of Peru. She enjoyed the urban sights and culture of Cusco including the markets, theatre, artisans and discos. She sweated in the Amazon jungle along the Tambopata River to photograph an exciting array of jungle wildlife.
Besides being an adventure and a journey through Peru’s diverse landscapes it was an opportunity to learn about the country’s people and culture.
In other news, the Gallery 2009 lineup has been announced. The city of Enumclaw has selected 11 regional artists to display work. They include Sallie Zydek, Janet Berthon, Jan Wieser, Sharman Owinigs, Mike Dilbeck, Helena Portvliet, Lea Bishop, Lori Twiggs, Peter Chafouleas, Jean Stanley and Ken and Lydia Strange.
The gallery is located in the Council Chambers at Enumclaw City Hall, 1339 Griffin Ave. Hours for the exhibition space are 8 a. m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Enumclaw City Hall is closed on national holidays. The gallery is closed to the public on Tuesday of each week for municipal court proceedings. For information, contact the Enumclaw Cultural Programs office at 360-802-0239.
