Above: Art on the Trails is beckoning the public, especially those who want to be included in the annual book featuring poems inspired by the art. (images cropped from Facebook and the website)
Two weekends ago, installations went up for this year’s Art on the Trails exhibition. Last weekend, signs were posted at each installation that give insight on artists’ intentions.
Everyone is invited to explore the exhibit at Beals Preserve. But there’s a special call for the poetry inclined.
In the annual tradition, the public is invited to submit poetry inspired by artwork on the trail. 25 submissions will be selected for inclusion in this year’s poetry chapbook. The book will feature “ekphrastic poetry, which is written specifically about or inspired by the installations in this exhibition.”
This year’s exhibit is themed Rising Up:
“OUR GREATEST GLORY IS NOT IN NEVER FAILING, BUT RISING UP EVERY TIME WE FAIL.” RALPH WALDO EMERSON
As we move through our lives, in our communities, in our world, we are challenged. How do we face those challenges and move forward with courage? Artists responding to this theme are asked to consider this question and respond with proposals that answer the question or demonstrate the rising of the human spirit.
Signs at each ot the 15 exhibits identify the artist, the name of the piece, the materials it is constructed from, and the artist’s intention/inspiration. Some pieces are only built to exist as part of the summer’s exhibition. For ones that are transferable, the sign also includes the purchase price.
Poets are invited to walk the trails to be inspired by the installations:
Choose a piece of art that speaks to you, and respond to it in poetry. We welcome all forms of poetry, and poems of any length, although ideally, each poem will be no longer than one hundred lines.
Submissions are due by the end of July. Maura Snell (Route 7 Press founder and poet) will select the top 25 poems to include in the book. Tianli Kilpatrick, editor at the Worcester Review, will select a first prize winner and an Honorable Mention. For more details, click here.
For the trail map identifying installation locations, artists, and titles, click here. For a larger version on the official website, click here. (For more info on the artists and this year’s theme, see my previous post.)
Over the June 6-7 installation weekend, organizer Catherine Weber live streamed videos of the artists at work. You can view those here. That Saturday, she posted the following photo and message on Facebook:
Art will remain on the trails for public viewing through September 13th. Learn more about the exhibit at www.artonthetrails.com or by contacting Catherine Weber at cweber@artonthetrails.com or 508-523-3605.
The trail map I printed out has 2019 dates on it. Is this the correct map?
That is correct. I didn’t notice, but it does have a typo in the dates. Above that, you’ll notice that it says it is the 2020 exhibit.
Thanks for checking and clearing up the confusion.