Camarillo, CA. - The Art Program at California State University Channel Islands (CI) has announced “Caring for Calves: The art and science of understanding Hawaii’s humpback whales” to be on exhibit Jan. 27 through Feb. 25 in the art gallery of Napa Hall. A public reception will be held on Thursday, Jan. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The exhibit will include photographic work by:

· John Cesere, Dan Cesere - photographers and founders of C3 Submerged Photography

· Scientists: Rachel Cartwright, Ph.D. – Marine Mammal Scientist, and founder of the Keiki Kohola Project, Blake Gillespie, Ph.D. – physical biochemist

· CI students: J. Blair, R. Cano, A. Domingo, T. Dominicello, H. Martin, C.Mehlberg, L. Nguyen, A. Wall, B. Warmuth, A. Bonneau, L. Armstrong, K. Eden, J. Remonida, J. Perez, J. Warren, J. Penland, I. Espinoza, B. Villalta

This exhibition is a photographic essay focusing on the Hawaiian humpback whale population and like many of our great whale populations, is a conservation success story. By the end of commercial whaling in the seventies, the numbers of whales to be seen in Hawaiian waters each year had fallen to below 500. Today, it is estimated that over 10,000 humpback whales from across the North Pacific congregate in the warm, protected waters of Hawaii each winter, to breed and raise their young calves.

The Keiki Kohola Project aims to protect these critical nursery waters by providing up to date, accurate and new information on the behavior of mother-calf pairs in the region. The core of this mission is the development of science-based wildlife management strategies. An essential part of this goal is to reach beyond the scientific community and bring the research into focus for a wide and inclusive audience.

Over the last two years, professional photographers John and Dan Cesere have joined the research team to assist in the documentation of the underwater behavior of whales. The Cesere brothers of C3 Submerged bring to the project the technical underwater imaging expertise and experience required for research-grade photography. They bring an uncanny ability to capture those moments, so fleeting in underwater encounters, which link the whales’ grace and beauty to the behavioral details that allow us to know them better and manage them more effectively.

CSU Channel Islands is located at One University Drive, Camarillo. The exhibit will be available for viewing Jan. 27 through Feb. 25 in the art gallery of Napa Hall. Exhibit hours are: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, contact the CI Art Program at 805-437-8570, or e-mail art@csuci.edu or visit http://art.csuci.edu.

Limited parking is available on campus. A daily permit is $6. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road parking lot in Camarillo with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the VISTA Bus to the campus; the fare is $1 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research.