Gualala Arts Lecture Series presents: Surprising Saudi Arabia! with Charles Harper Monday, April 7, 2008, 7:00 p.m. $5 donation requested

"I first set eyes on The Sea Ranch in 1974 and knew it was in one of Earth's special places. Its seeming perfection simply haunted me." Dr. Charlie Harper and his wife Carol became Sea Ranch owners the next year! Over thirty years later, following travel to over 30 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, he's more certain than ever of its unique beauty and sense of place.

At one of their stops, the Harpers lived for almost 5 years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Physically and culturally, it is about as different from TSR as one could imagine. Charlie got hooked on close-up photography of flowers and amassed a catalog of several hundred different flowering plants, all of which lived and thrived within a mile or two of his home. Charlie will explain the paradox of so many flowering plants living in an area normally thought of as barren desert. He'll also be showing some of his favorite photos, getting down to pollen grain size in many.

While living there, the Harpers learned a great deal about the Saudi culture and political setting, much of which is very misunderstood by most Americans. He'll share some insights which may be interesting and useful for students of the Middle East. How well do you know Saudi Arabia?

The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.