Love of the Land Art Exhibition
by Zoe Kirsch
This Friday and Saturday, August 24th and 25th, the Nantucket Land Council will present Love of the Land: Nantucket Wildflowers, a free attendance exhibition at the Preservation Institute on Centre Street. The show, including the works of more than twenty-five artists and several Nantucket Lighthouse School students, will open at a 6 pm reception on Friday.
All participants were asked to create art inspired by island flora. The result? A collection as unique, varied, and gorgeous as the Nantucket landscape itself. Elisabeth Hazell, Membership Coordinator at the NLC, explained: “We have a range of photography, painting, sculpture, really I think that this show exhibits the diversity of the ways artists can interpret the same theme.”
Hazell initiated and lead the first Love of the Land exhibit in 2006, when the NLC was raising money to conserve 270 acres of property. Because last year’s art show was so successful, she decided to hold another one this year. Hazell explains, “Now having successfully preserved that [Land owned by the Linda Loring Conservation Foundation, Inc.], I decided to focus on Nantucket wildflowers rather than a specific location.”
In a similar fashion to last year’s exhibit, Love of the Land: Nantucket Wildflowers is raising money for a worthy cause. Any money raised by the NLC is used to accomplish a mission as stated on their website: “protecting Nantucket’s natural world and rural character by holding and enforcing conservation restrictions, commissioning scientific research, monitoring development proposals, engaging in legal proceedings to protect natural resources, and educating the public on local environmental issues.”
The Love of the Land exhibits not only raise money to carry out all of the above, but also gracefully unite two characteristics of Nantucket Island: art and nature. Hazell elucidates why she focused on connecting creativity and environment: “the artists on Nantucket had had a long-standing history of painting Nantucket’s open space; it just seemed natural to connect the cultural and environmental communities on Nantucket.” Certainly, the 2006 showcase managed to do so. And without a doubt, this year’s show will do it again.
Who should come to this event? “Anyone who’s interested in either art or the environment!” says Hazell enthusiastically. She explains why the show is so appealing to art collectors. “Last year’s show was extremely high caliber; the paintings sold within the $500 to $2,000 price range.” This is also truly the place to be if you want to learn about nature on Nantucket. “We should have a good range of information on the Nantucket wildflowers,” says Hazell. Evidently, there’s something for everyone at this art show.
“Anyone who wants to drop in is welcome,” Hazell concludes. “Of course,” she adds with an amicable chuckle, “we’d love to have some patrons there as well!”
