Obi Kaufmann is a writer and illustrator with a deep connection to California’s natural landscapes. His work blends art and ecological science, with a focus on the state’s deserts and forests. His latest book published by Heyday, The State of Fire: Why California Burns, examines fire’s role in shaping California’s environment.
Obi Kaufmann is the author of The California Field Atlas (2017, #1 San Francisco Chronicle Best Seller), The State of Water: Understanding California’s Most Precious Natural Resource (2019),and The Forests of California: A California Field Atlas (2020), The Coasts of California (2022), and The Deserts of California (2023) all published by Heyday. When he is not backpacking, you can find the painter-poet at home in the East Bay, posting trail paintings at his handle @coyotethunder on Instagram.
