This page is dedicated to the exceptional pieces of art work and journaling done by students in 2002-2003 WildLink expeditions. Their artistic interpretation of their personal wilderness experiences is evident in their quality of work in journaling and sketching activities.

Erica, Expedition 1 | Marcus, Expedition 5 | Cynthia, Expedition 6 | Dan, Expedition 2 | Jami, Expedition 2 | Kai, Expedition 5 | Maria, Expedition 2 | Sara, Expedition 4 | Joseph, Expedition 6 | Patricia, Expedition 1 | Preston, Expedition 2 | Andre, Expedition 4 | Esmeralda, Expedition 4 | John, Expedition 3 | Javier, Expedition 3 | Larry, Expedition 4 | Anthony, Expedition 3 | Gretel, Expedition 5 | Milia, Expedition2 | Tienna, Expedition 7 | Tanishia, Team 7 | Chris, Expedition 7 |

Poem and Drawing by Dan, Expedition 2

I think…
differences haz it'z up'z-n-down's,
I see..
faces smiling on these ancient ground'z,
I hear…
voices of laughter -n- fun,
I touched…
a tree, -n- just like me, there can only be one.

Journal, Poem and drawing by Erica, Expedition 1

You sink in time
life around you is settle with a busy twist.
Everything is quiet, but loud.
No car horns
only birds, chickmunks, nature!
No smells of restaurants,
just clean air, freshwater, trees.
You see no humans,
only trees, huge trees.
Trees that could tell stories of time
Before eyes of humans saw,
Before the first crunch of leaves
By human feet.
When life around was an untouched blanked of snow.
An endless time of life, beauty, and love.
When only the wind would be the voice of the other side of the forest to the trees.

To Whom it May Concern:

Everything is so beautiful up here. It's all peaceful and calm. People who think out in the wilderness is quiet are wrong beyond all imagining. Nothing is silent. You hear birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and everything else, like streams and wind!

It's like heaven, but on earth. Everything is lake a key to a door of wonder and imagination. All one has to do is unlock the door and discover!

Marcus, Expedition 5

What is wilderness to you?

What the wilderness is to me is being somewhere, where not that many people go. A place that can't be tamed by man. A place that if you where to just sit still and listen, you can hear the sounds of nature. A place where tranquility and sereneness reside in harmony in contrast to the loud, bustling streets of the city. The wilderness is where all of our roots began. Whether it be in the plain of Africa or in the mountains of Tibet, in the sands of the Middle East, or in the shores of Hawaii. We should all visit the wilderness at least once in our life. Otherwise its beauty and calmness will be lost forever.

Cynthia, Expedition 6

I see all these beautiful trees with their non perfect shape, color, and stature. I will always and forever be enchanted with the wilderness. There is on tree that to me is so imperfect that it is perfect. Its branches reaching everywhere, its twigs twisted and with turns. The absence of its leaves, the dark back color. The peacefulness it brings and has with it and the few young leaves that are lime green.

Photo taken by Jami, Expedition 2

Kai, Expedition 5

2-17-03

Yesterday we took a moonlight walk near the edge of Curry Village. It was the darkest of nights that I ever seen. The moon seemed to break thru its orbit as delicate shafts of its light peered through the thick canopy of pine above us. We were silent as we walked through endless dark paths. I enjoyed the silence. All you could hear were the crunching of gravel and dirt beneath our feet.

After what seemed like an eternity we reached a small clearing. It was so dark I could only see the sparkling of the granite that lay embedded on the bridge ahead of us. Remember looking off the edge down into the deep darkness of the water, hearing its loud roaring as it crashed on the rocks below. I wondered if such a beautiful thing could be taken for granted. I rummaged through my pants pockets and drew out a penny. I griped it tightly in my hand and wished on it with all my might. Kissing it gently I then tossed it into the water. I crossed my fingers and hoped that my wish would come true…

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What is wilderness to you?

Wilderness is a separation from the modern world. A place where you can find yourself totally at peace. You can't find racism or poverty or hate in such a beautiful landscape of pine and rock, animals and the roaring of the rivers. It is the only place where I find myself closing my eyes to enjoy the silence, where I wouldn't need the confusion of noise from my radio of the commercialized programming of my television. I can only dream of what the world could have been without modernization, where the true balanced relationship between man and nature could be experienced. Watching beautiful sunsets only to breath in the fresh, clean air… This is what wilderness is to me.

Drawing by Maria, Expedition 2

Journal by Sara, Expedition 4

Wilderness is like the trunk of the world. The carnivores, omnivores, herbivores, producers, consumers and decomposers are all the branches of that natural trunk. We all depend on it. Just by listening to the water rush with a virulent force through the unmovable rocks gives you the feeling of strength from the bottom of your heart. You look up and there are mountains surrounding you, that you long to reach for. However when you start something you must finish it. I feel like a rock, I feel like a tree. I feel like a bird flying free.
There are many obstacles, but many adventures to live, when I really think about it when I'm in Yosemite, the heart of the Sierra Nevada, I feel like a bug w/ the heart and the brain the size of a mountain. Wilderness is fun, beautiful, adventurous and educational. However it can be your motivation and inspiration through life. Even though its all of the above this is a place from where we could learn the diversity of living organisms and not just that, but we get to know ourselves. We have many obsticals, fears and doupts in our hike through the Sierra Nevada. These hikes are some how related to the chances and paths we should chose in life, they are not going to be easy but with strength we are all going to succeed.
So as the branches of the tree we must protected and care for it as long as we live.

Joseph, Expedition 6

When I stare at the flowing river long enough I can almost see and witness life pass me by. The water most of the time does not have smooth sailing. Rocks, trees both living and resting blocks it way, but somehow it overcomes those obstacles in hope of finding a more peaceful passage. But as long as long as it overcomes the obstacle that is upon it, another one presents itself, and another one, it may find calm water, but this does not last very long, just ahead is another obstacle. The river continues to do this despite the undeniable fact that it does not know its destination. This for me is what wilderness is undeniable party of one’s life. It nourishes our body, the air I breathe and the water I drink. And it definitely nourishes our soul. It enlightens my spirits in ways I never though possible.

Excerpt of Preston's Journal, Expedition 2

I think…
I think I am going to die. My shoulders ache and by back screams out in pain. But with every step I know I am getting closer to my destination, and when I reach it, I can take a look around and see what I have accomplished. I can see nature's beauty is in its greatest glory.
I touch…
I touch nature & God's creation with every step of my feet. I can't start to explain the beauty around me, you would have to see it with your own eyes, and touch with your own hands to truly understand.
I hear…
I hear the call of the wild. The wind rustling through the trees, it whispers a song lost for generations. I hear the call of the city, beckoning me back home. The raven shouts a welcome before flying off and telling its friends I'm home. But I'm not home. Soon I'll be back to my home in the valley, torn from nature, hearing the bustling of busy people going to busy places. But before I go, I will leave a piece of my heart fo the mountain until the day I return to my home in nature.
I see…
I see nature in its full beauty - not what you see in post cards and t.v. but the link of beauty you can dream of.

Drawing of a newt by Andre, Expedition 4

Drawing by Esmeralda, Expedition 4

writing by John, Expedition 3

This forest is so beautiful and I will like to live here one day and I wish I can see some wildlife and when I walk through that forest I wonder a lot of things how will this place look in the future. The air will be polluted? And will the roads take over? That will really suck because it's so beautiful this place everybody should come to study. This place it's line free time, you don't worry about anything.

Leaf drawing by Javier, Expedition 3

Writing by Larry, Expedition 4

When I first came to Yosemite I thought it was just a bunch of trees, water, and mountains. As the first day passed I realized something; it’s a lot more than that. To me Yosemite has been another world, a world of culture, beauty, spirit, and fun. I can’t believe how much fun I’m having. The snow fights are the best. I also realized my own roots are from here. Mexican’s came as pioneer’s to Yosemite a very long time ago. But most of all the way Yosemite is or looks is what has me made me a different person. Spiritually I never realized how much is out here. I was so used to the house, parking lots, stores and bad air. I never seen how much Yosemite is filled with life. Its astonishing, breathtaking and most of all spirit lifting. I have a guitar, phone, nice clothes, and girlfriend at home but that was all forgotten when I came here. When I wake up in the morning and smell the fresh air form the beautiful and man kinds of trees if fall in love. When I take a taste of the sweet water that falls from these great mountains I fall in love. Most all when I look up at the stars and the moon and the mountains I don’t fall in love its something more than that. This is my home and I love it. Any home has history, food and memories are made but Yosemite has that and more. It is my home; everybody’s home. This is why Yosemite is my home. No! THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOSEMITE. Thank you for everything, Yosemite!

Tree drawing and writing by Anthony, Expedition 3

Roots: what ground me - my mother and my brother
What supports me: my family and friends
My goals: to do what I can to make my life successful
What I give back: I give respect to everyone who shows me respect

Gretel, Expedition 5

What is wilderness to me?

For me Wilderness is the privilege of getting to know nature and anything that it's composed for such as: animals, birds, water, air, plants, snow, earth and peace. Yes, peace because you feel great by being surrounded by nature, without hearing the noise of different machines. Without smelling that disgusting smell coming from cigarettes, without watching violence on the streets.
So wilderness is like the other side of the world, where you appreciate life a lot more. Wilderness gives you the enough power to keep on fighting against reality because as you live in wilderness you know that the world is not just about horrible and things. Absolutely not and wilderness proves that.

Drawing by Milia, Expedition2

Dear Self,

Today is June 5th at Yosemite Point and I hiked 6 miles. You are at Yosemite at the top of Yosemite Point. You have conquered your fear. You have set goals in which you will succeed in. Why are you here? You don’t know but you’re glad you are. You have met amazing people on your way to the top. You are a strong African American woman. You have the power to do whatever you but your mind to. You are also beautiful. The things you have seen here you can’t see anywhere else. You have reached the highest mountains. You have made many new friends. You have even found you!

Tienna, Expedition 7

drawing by Tanishia, Expedition 7

Up here in Yosemite I’ve really changed a lot. My desire has got even stronger. My work ethic and team work has also enlarged. I can’t say that my personality has changed but my enthusiasm has skyrocketed. At first I wasn’t good at meeting people. I wasn’t lonely, I just couldn’t live well with someone that I have to get acquainted first, I’ve also developed more leadership.

Chris, Expedition 7