Crow’s Nest: Art in Nature

Valerie Hoffman insect photography at Crow’s Nest Preserve

by Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

One might ask, what role does art play on our preserves?

You know the expression, “Food tastes better outdoors”? That appreciation applies to many things, including many forms of art.

We are fortunate to be stewards of beautiful spaces and we want to share experiences in these places with others. We can forge a connection with people based on our mutual appreciation for art and nature. And yes, many of our events also feature potluck meals in our wildflower-filled barnyard.

Last weekend we were delighted to host singer-songwriter Anna Spackman in the barn at Crow’s Nest. The barn has good acoustics and is a great (seasonal) venue. We started the evening with a potluck dinner in the barnyard gardens.

We’ve been using the preserve and the barn for art for years. Below, a multimedia installation, “The Tear Drinkers” by Lydia Moyer in 2012, an exhibition that was held concurrent with a contra dance in the barn.

If we look back to 2004, we held our summer day camp with an “art in nature” theme. Some of the art kids made was ephemeral in the style of Andy Goldsworthy, chains of leaves floating downstream or pasted with mud to tree trunks. For fun they also hand-painted the preserve truck. I drove around like that for a few weeks, never saw anyone bat an eye at it.

We are fortunate to have dedicated funding for the arts and lectures at the preserve, the Cassandra O. and Dennis B. Lacey Performance Series. For the last few years we’ve been able to host owl prowls with live, non-releaseable wildlife (which we don’t keep ourselves), painting classes with artist Karen Weber, and nature photography workshops with Valerie Hoffman and Ginnie Lodge. We plan to continue hosting singer-songwriters for evenings at the preserve and other events. Look at the Natural Lands event page for more information on what’s coming up.

We are also partnering on a mosaic project with Brittany Grala, (Hope is the Way Love is the Answer). We are collecting bottle caps—bring them to us at the preserve or other designated drop off points this fall—to create a mosaic of a natural scene from the preserve. Look for upcoming events associated with this project.

I like the Valerie Hoffman insect photography (featured image and below, insects observed at Crow’s Nest Preserve) because by seeing, composing, and enlarging the images, she shows the insect’s beauty and character. Look, they’re ridiculously cute! Perhaps when seen as they are here, people will be willing to conserve them for what they are as well as for the critical role they play in the food web to which we all belong.