By Sal Maccarone A finished piece of sculpture can take many forms. The sculptural process is loosely defined as: The art of carving, modeling, or otherwise producing works of art which are three dimensional, such as would be a relief, an intaglio, or a sculpture-in-the-round. Breaking this definition down, a relief gives the impression that an image has been raised ...

Yosemite’s caves! Yosemite is perhaps best known for its towering granite peaks, spectacular waterfalls, and dramatic vistas – features which draw close to four million visitors to the park every year. However, hidden within these attractions are numerous well-concealed caves that most visitors remain unaware of. Experience an interactive 360° VR view inside one of these caves here. Most of ...

‘Check it out’! MCAC regrants ‘mcac cares’ to Yosemite Sierra Artists. This grant was part of a re-granting program through California Arts Council and Madera County Arts Council designed to get dollars to the local level of Madera County.                       Sign ups happening now! ‘Art School at the MCAC’ This ...

YOSEMITE — As many of you are aware, Yosemite has been closed for the past two weeks. A huge wind storm (Mono winds) on Jan. 19 caused significant damage and extended power outages. Several days later, a series of winter snow storms began, which are expected to continue into early next week. Snow accumulation in the high country was recently ...

By Sal Maccarone Artists have been experimenting with animation for thousands of years. During the first century, China’s Imperial Dynasty developed a contraption that created the illusion of motion through a rapid succession of pictures. Later on, the Victorian era “Zoetrope”, a revolving cylinder viewed from the outside, was a big hit in the 1890’s. And, of course, there are ...

YOSEMITE — It’s been an extremely busy week in Yosemite due to massive damage caused  by powerful Mono Winds (reported gusts up to 80 mph) last Monday night.  Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The park has been closed to all visitors while repairs and cleanup work are being done.  Expected reopening is this coming Tuesday – for day-use only (8 ...

By Sal Maccarone Before the camera made it so easy for us to document specific moments in time, the job was left up to the artistically inclined. The only visual record of what people looked like, or how events happened to unfolded are depictions made by artists. Before 1822 the world relied strictly on those skillful and insightful enough to ...

By Sal Maccarone It is always entertaining to try and imagine what the world will be like a century from now. Even though it is impossible to fully comprehend what the future has to hold, we need only to look at the strides taken during the past one hundred years to get some clues. For instance, my grandparents were born ...

YOSEMITE — The peace and relative quiet of Yosemite in winter, particularly after a fresh snow fall, can be a magical experience. Unfortunately, travel in California is currently restricted to within 120 miles of home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the beauty of Yosemite persists. Yosemite is now open only to day use visitors, between the hours of 8 ...

YOSEMITE — As we come to the end of what can only be described as a “unique” 2020, we are indeed grateful that places like Yosemite have remained intact and protected through these challenges. Thanks to the foresight and commitment of countless advocates throughout the last century, Yosemite remains a sanctuary – what some might even consider a temple – ...