This month's speaker: Gary Tepfer
by David Wagner

Recent Explorations in Western Mongolia
Gary Tepfer, Photographer, offers a slide-illustrated talk

Gary Tepfer is a native Eugenean who has had his eye on nature since his earliest days. His father, Sanford Tepfer, was a botanist on the faculty at the University of Oregon (and a long-time Eugene Natural History Society member). As a family and individually, the Tepfers have extensively explored and enjoyed the natural areas of our part of the world. As a composite, the family represents a treasure of lore about our local environs. We are fortunate (I'll tell you why; soon enough) to have Gary presenting a slide program to the Eugene Natural History Society this winter.

I would say that Gary Tepfer's approach to nature is more that of an artist than a scientist, but that might suggest that somehow it would make him less of a naturalist for it. It's just that I have been enjoying shows of his nature photographs for many years. That he is an artist is incontrovertible. Yet you can tell that he knows nature intimately, he captures its images so perceptively and instructively.

Gary's wife, Esther, is an art historian. Together they have directed their combined energy on the study of a part of the world, Mongolia, with wonderful, yet often mysterious, images from the past. Some of these images are the fossil dinosaurs prominent in the nature news circuit. Less known and, therefore, less written about, are the traces of former peoples. These peoples the Tepfers are tracking. The mystery can be great in the heart of central Asia. This is a part of the world where, within the last one thousand years, at least one entire civilization, with its own writing and culture, was wiped out.

The studies of Gary and Esther involve the joy of exploring for additional traces of the past in the wildernesses of western Mongolia. It's very stark (to an old moss-back like me), but so exciting when a face or symbol appears on a rock face up a little chasm. Fortunately for us (here's the kicker), Gary's job is to photo-document the things they find for study. He has consented to show us some of what they have seen in western Mongolia. My memories of his last presentation are still strong and full of delight. I look forward to seeing a good crowd of old Eugene Natural History Society friends this Friday evening.

Remember, if you come a few minutes early, we can share stories and maybe a cookie before the formal meeting begins. I hope to see you there!


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