New Exhibit of Natural Wonders at Warwick Museum of Art

Saturday, July 07, 2012

GoLocalProv Features Team

"Under the Shore" by East Providence artist Kathy Hodge will be one of the pieces at the Warwick Museum of Art celebrating the natural world.

You may have heard about the recent BioBlitz survey of Jamestown Island, but did you know that BioBlitz has an artist team? And did you know there's an Artist-In-Residence program at the National Parks and U.S. Forests across the country? Warwick Museum of Art (WMOA) wants to introduce you to artworks from all three programs with a group show titled "In the Field" which runs from July 7-31.

Original works by local artists

Showcasing original paintings, sculpture, and photographs by 16 artists, the exhibit is perfectly timed to highlight some of America's premiere vacation spots: beautiful photographs of Acadia National Park's shoreline were captured by John Foraste a former Brown University staff photographer; dramatic watercolors of Zion National Park in Utah were painted by Mary Dondero of Warren; and large oil paintings of Chugach National Forest in Alaska were created by East Providence artist and exhibit organizer Kathy Hodge.

Artists in the forests and parks

"Most people don't realize the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service both run Artist-in-Residence programs," noted Hodge. "My first Artist Residency was in 1993 at Rocky Mountain National Park." Since then the RISD-trained artist has spent time at Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Mesa Verde National Park and Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in Colorado, Alaska's Chugach National Forest, and the Petrified National Forest Park in Arizona. "I've had the honor of participating in ten different Artist-in-Residence programs," she recently explained, "and I'll continue to apply for these programs for as long as I can travel!"

Many works by BioBlitz artists are also featured, so the natural wonders of RI will be prominently showcased in "In the Field". For example, Cranston's Amie Plante is exhibiting nature-inspired jewelry and drawings; vibrantly colored lichens and seaweed were painted by watercolorist Frances Topping of Charlestown; and Barrington resident Barbara L. Green is exhibiting paintings of ferns and moving water -- just to name a few local exhibitors.

Warwick resident and RI naturalist Mary Grady suggested an artist team should formally join BioBlitz in 2010, and it was a natural partnership. "BioBlitz is a great way to get 'a scientific snapshot' of specific areas in Rhode Island," she said. "Volunteers love spending time outdoors, and I think that comes through loud and clear when you see work by the artist team!"

Special events

Two special events for "In the Field" are planned. An Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, July 12 from 6:00-8:00 pm with light refreshments. Two weeks later, an Artist Talk by Kathy Hodge will be held on Thursday, July 26 at 6:30 pm. "This is an opportunity for everyone to learn about the Artist-in-Residence programs at our National Parks and Forests," said WMOA program director Patty Martucci. "It will also be enjoyable armchair travel for some of us." Seating is limited for the Artist Talk so reservations are encouraged: please email events@warwickmuseum.org with "Artist Talk" in the subject line.

Both events are free and open to the public and there's plenty of free parking behind Warwick City Hall. The exhibit will be open July 7 through July 31 during special summer hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 9:00 am - 4:00 pm; Thursdays 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Saturdays 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Warwick Museum of Art, 3259 Post Road in historic Apponaug Village. More info is available on Facebook, online at www.warwickmuseum.org, or by calling 401-737-0010.

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Email to a friend Permalink

Comments:

paul zecchino

8:07pm on Monday, July 09, 2012

Beautiful. To success.