Tom Jay, sculptor, linguist, salmon expert has contributed to teaching and learning in the Environmental Humanities for more than a decade. His knowledge of salmon combined with his artistic creations in sculpture and stream restoration make him the perfect choice for our first Environmental Humanities visiting scholar to be featured here at the Center. Many have heard him present at Studium Generale, including his 1995 visit with Natalie Fobes, who photographed the salmon and riparian scenes for Reaching Home, a collection of essays by Jay. He has read poetry for the Foothills Writers series four times, the most recent to celebrate his collection Blossoms are Ghosts at the Wedding. When Tom Jay is invited to speak to a group of students or the general public, he consistently amazes his audience with the linguistic connections he provides and the depth of his studies. As a contributor to the Peninsula College publication Landscapes of Home: A Natural History of the Elwha River, Jay revised a keynote address he had presented to a group of scientists on the Olympic Peninsula. This piece, "Water Spear," explores the power and vibrance of es.

The keynote that led to Jay’s essay in Landscapes of Home: A Natural History of the Elwha River, can be viewed here:

http://www.pers-erf.org/PERS_Jay_Keynote.pdf

An interview with Tom Jay, originally published in Heron Dance, provides context for understanding why this unique man was chosen as the first to be featured in this series:

http://www.herondance.org/reflections/tom-jay/