Love of the Land: Nantucket Wildflowers
In 2006, the Nantucket Land Council launched a series of events with local artists. In order to benefit the Loring Campaign, Membership Coordinator Elisabeth Hazell invited artists to visit the 270 acres in order to create works for a benefit exhibition. Participating artists then submitted their works to a peer-based jury and 38 artists were selected to exhibit at the first annual “Love of the Land” exhibition. The first event of its kind on Nantucket, the opening reception kicked-off the Fall Arts Festival, with several hundred people turning up to view and purchase paintings, sculptures, and photographs.
The NLC has just announced the dates and theme of the second “Love of the Land” art initiative and exhibition. The 2007 exhibition will feature another aspect of Nantucket that the NLC had a large role in protecting: Nantucket Wildflowers.
As in 2006, artists are invited to travel the island and look for Nantucket wildflowers to paint, sketch, photograph, or otherwise portray in art. The exhibit will take place on the weekend of August 24-26th, with set-up on the evening of Thursday, the August 23, and take down on August 26.
Elle Foley
The Nantucket Land Council, Inc. was conceived and organized in 1974 by Nantucket citizens who cherished the island’s pristine natural setting and who were troubled by increasing environmental degradation and loss of rural character. The purpose of the NLC is to astutely defend Nantucket's natural resources—ground water, ponds and harbors, salt marshes, rare species, beaches, dunes and natural habitats. Their motto is “Planning, Protecting, Preserving.”
Since its founding in 1974, the Nantucket Land Council has effectively protected more than 1,000 of acres of land. Of the properties which were purchased outright, most have been conveyed to other Nantucket conservation groups, particularly the Nantucket Conservation Foundation and Nantucket Island Land Bank, which are equipped to manage large tracts of land.
The NLC recently completed its Loring Campaign to preserve 270 acres of land on Eel Point Road by purchasing Conservation Restrictions. They negotiated with private owners to voluntarily restrict use of their land and preserve conservation values. These permanent easement agreements — called “Conservation Restrictions” in Massachusetts — provide public benefits to the community and handsome tax advantages to land owners.
Elsie Kornack
Among their other successes, the NLC is proud to hold a Conservation Restriction on 110 acres of farmland on Bartlett Ocean View Farm, and they hold CRs on numerous smaller, private properties in order to protect natural resources as well as Nantucket's rural character. For details, visit their website at www.NantucketLandCouncil.org.
Proceeds from the sale of works included in the “Love of the Land: Nantucket Wildflowers” exhibition will be divided between the artist and the Nantucket Land Council. Deadline for registration is July 20. Participants should contact Elisabeth Hazell by stopping by the Nantucket Land Council office at 6 Ash Lane, calling her at 508-228-2818, or by emailing her at nlc@nantucket.net.
Nantucket’s artistic community has long been inspired by the open spaces and scenic landscapes on the island. This exhibition will be an opportunity to both honor and highlight the connection between our artistic and conservation communities.
