Above: The closing ceremony for this summer’s exhibit is 10 days away. (contributed image)
If you haven’t walked Art on the Trails yet this summer, time is running out. And if you did enjoy the experience, or you’re a big fan of poetry, you may want to mark your calendars. The annual closing ceremony featuring poetry about the art exhibits is a week from Sunday.
The ceremony will take place on Sunday, September 15th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. The event will include refreshments, and poetry.
Earlier this summer, organizers of the outdoor exhibit at Beals Preserve put out their annual call for poetry inspired by artwork in the exhibit. Their plan was to select 26 poems for the annual chapbook. (You can read about that here.)
The traditional closing ceremony is a guided walk along the trail, stopping by each exhibit for selected poets to read aloud their works inspired by the installation.
This year’s collection was edited by Muara Snell and Catherine Weber. Poetry is being judged by Adele Evershed, last year’s award winner.
And speaking of award winners. . .
The winner of this year’s art award has been announced — Casey Hayward’ Barefoot on the Hill. This year’s exhibition theme is Legacy inspired by late conservationist Whitney Beals. The announcement quotes Casey as having described:
It is said that conservationist Whit Beals used to stand atop a hill on his family’s farm, barefoot and shout out his gratitude for life’s gifts. The 10 panels in this piece, adorned in regal purple hues, represent ten toes burrowing into the hillside while the unseen soul bellows its gratitude for nature’s gifts.
Art Juror Marie Craig highlighted the work as “a profound embodiment” of the theme. According to Craig:
Hayward’s piece reflects a deep, personal connection to nature and the enduring spirit of Beals’ Preserve. . .
a physical manifestation of joy and gratitude for nature’s gifts, the essence of legacy as a living, breathing presence on the trails.
To read more, click here.
At the closing ceremony, copies of the chapbook will be on sale. (If you can’t make it, you can also order a copy online here.)
Between now and the September 15th closing, the public is welcome to visit the exhibit for free, daily from dawn to dusk. Click here for my prior post with the map and details.
For those who can’t make it, or would like a preview, the website features a photo gallery with details on each piece. You can also check out their YouTube channel to watch videos from the installation day with more details on each work.
Thank you, Beth! I can’t believe that this is our 8th year!