Painting the Bruneau-Jarbidge Wilderness

Earlier this year, JanyRae Seda saw a small ad calling for applicants for the first-ever Idaho Bureau of Land Management artist-in-residence program. Seda wouldn't characterize herself as being particularly outdoorsy—the last time she'd been camping was in Girl Scouts, but she filled out the application and submitted a resume. She didn't think she would even hear back. "I was hesitant to apply for the BLM thing because I didn't think I was going to get it," Seda said. Then she found out her colorful, somewhat abstract, mosaic-like oil paintings were exactly what the BLM was looking for. For the immersive wilderness experience Seda would need, the BLM gave her a choice: raft down the Bruneau River or travel by horseback into the Owyhee Canyonlands. Having no idea what to expect, Seda hastily picked the first option. Then she found out she was going to spend four days in the Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness, floating 40 miles down the Bruneau River during high-water season. Seda had floated some Class II rapids before, but would be facing 10 miles of Class IV rapids on the last day of the trip. "Some of my paintings represent my experience and remembering the sound," Seda said. "It was so loud. And looking at these huge boulders and just wondering how [the guide] is going to get us through this. Then there's the next Class IV. Then to be done with it—it was relief, but it was almost like, 'Can we go back and do it again?'''...more

Keep the above in mind the next time you hear BLM complaining about not having enough money.