Skaneateles Lake Through Trees painting by Karen Burns.
Bloodroot photograph by David LoParco.
(Marcellus, NY – Feb. 2013) From March 4to April 26 paintings by Karen Burns and photography by David LoParco depicting local landscapes will be on display in the Art Gallery at Baltimore Woods Nature Center, 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus. An artist reception for the show will be held on Sunday, March 10, from 2-4pm. The exhibit and reception are open to the public with no admission or parking fee.
LoParco’s photographs from his Natural Areas series include detailed close-ups of plants, in addition to photographs of local bogs and fields. As LoParco explains, “My Natural Areas series is the result of an effort to use photographic images to create an awareness of our existing protected lands, and inspire people to take action to preserve other properties deemed sensitive.” LoParco’s artwork reflects a range of locations, including Cornell University’s natural areas, the Chaumont Barrons Preserve, Sapsucker Woods and the Baltimore Woods property.
While Burns’ paintings draw from actual places, many are abstract syntheses, created in the studio. Often described as a colorist, Burns’ work centers on the natural world, and she works primarily in oil paint on canvas. Other media include watercolor and pastel. Lately she has been experimenting, mixing oils with a wax medium and working on a tinted ground, giving the paintings softness and luminosity. According to Burns, “My work coalesces around color, light and the things I love — the changing seasons in the northeast, a certain time of day or night, rich textures, surprising shapes; making sense out of chaos or finding wonder in subject matter others dismiss.”
LoParco was born in Syracuse and has lived in rural central New York for most of his life. Living close to nature has helped instill in him an abiding love for the natural world, which is strongly illustrated in his photography. Burns grew up in Rochester, New York, and has lived in the Finger Lakes region all of her life, moving to Syracuse seven years ago. Her life-long love and observation of nature has been a major catalyst for her artwork.
More information about Baltimore Woods Nature Center can be found on their website: www.baltimorewoods.org.
Baltimore Woods Nature Center is located at 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus, NY 13108. Hours: Interpretive Center is open M-F 9am-4pm, Saturday 10am-4pm, closed Sundays. The hiking trails and parking are free and open every day from dawn to dusk.