SPAWN received an original Clara Phildius Simon Bass sculpture donated by long-time SPAWN supporter Laura Marks . Clara carved it while living along the San Geronimo Creek. The work of art titled ‘Moses’ now stands by the entrance of SPAWN’s Lagunitas Intern House. The sculpture will greet current and future SPAWN interns who come from around the country to live in Marin and work with SPAWN to protect salmon.
Clara Bass (1896-1996) was an artist who was born in Missouri and moved to the West Coast to earn her BA degree at UC Berkeley. She eventually went on to teach art in the Bay Area. In the early 50’s she became ill and re-focused on her work in her Marin-based studio. Here she began to carve into native woods and created works like ‘Moses.’ Her work has showed in the San Francisco Museum of (Modern) Art, De Young Museum; Oakland Museum, Richmond Art Center and Crocker Museum, and it is an honor to now have an original Bass sculpture in front of the SPAWN Intern house.
