BOISE – A photograph taken by a Craters of the Moon Artist-in-Residence has been selected for inclusion in a special U.S. Department of the Interior Museum collection.
The photograph, called “Volcanic Desire,” will be displayed in museum exhibits and offices of Department of the Interior leaders and senior staff as part of the Office of the Secretary Art Collection, according to a news release. The photo was taken by Evan Nelson, a landscape and wildlife photographer who currently resides in Idaho Falls. Nelson is one of five Artists-in-Residence selected to help celebrate the Craters of the Moon’s centennial this year.
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is located in south-central Idaho between the towns of Carey and Arco. It was established on May 2, 1924, by President Calvin Coolidge, who issued a proclamation to protect its “weird and scenic landscape peculiar to itself,” the release states.
“It’s an honor to have this photograph selected for the Interior Museum Collection,” Nelson said in the release. “I’m a passionate hobby photographer so I hope this inspires other non-professionals. If you take the time to learn and practice, and you just go for it, you never know what might happen.”
Nelson shot “Volcanic Desire” from the Wilderness Trail at the park, the release said. He describes the photo as a composite of two photos he captured using different lenses and settings. One has wildflowers in the foreground and the other is of the night sky and Milky Way.
The Interior Museum, located inside the Department of the Interior’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., opened in 1938, the release noted. It includes nearly 1,600 works of art that provide inspiration and insight into the government agency responsible for the nation’s natural resources and heritage. The museum began collaborating with Artist-in-Residence programs at the National Park Service and other Department of the Interior sites in 2019 to acquire artwork.
The museum’s Office of the Secretary Art Collection connects those working in and visiting the Department of the Interior headquarters to the lands and programs that the department stewards across the country, the release said.
The release added that Craters of the Moon selected five Artists-in-Residence to help celebrate the park’s Centennial. All currently live in Idaho and have deep connections to Craters of the Moon and the region. During their residency, the artists visited the park’s lava landscape to inform and inspire their work and hosted special events for the public to learn about their craft.
“Art is inextricably linked with the history of public lands, from artists accompanying government-sponsored expeditions to artists shaping public perception of majestic landscapes,” Museum Registrar and Office of the Secretary Art Collection Manager Jason Jurgena said. “Recognizing the role of artists in capturing the collective imagination and encouraging preservation of these lands for future generations, the museum strives to collect works by artists that exemplify these goals.”
