(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Garden State Watercolor Society (GSWS) is partnering with D&R Greenway Land Trust to mount a wildlife-focused 50th Anniversary Juried Exhibition online August 4 through September 30, 2020. A virtual Awards Ceremony will include a special new award on occasion of GSWS’ 50th Anniversary, the D&R Greenway James Fiorentino Nature Art Award. Opportunities to experience the exhibit include a virtual gallery, a virtual talk with featured artists, and a fun family-friendly scavenger hunt.

Art has depicted our place in the world since prehistoric man imprinted hand-prints and animals on cave walls. Now, as then, art is an important tool for sharing our observations and feelings. Current virus restrictions add to our collective cabin-fever and need for connection. This exhibit celebrates the natural world with a sense of urgency to save it from loosened regulations and increasing environmental concerns. It recognizes the value found in the lands of D&R Greenway that have become a critical connection for people, for inspiration and restorative meditation.

Garden State Watercolor’s exhibit “Out of the Wild” portrays human relationships with the wild landscape, flora and fauna with creative imagination. Artists illustrate natural beauty, as well as the disconnect felt when civilization and nature are out of balance. Whether the trauma of suburban or industrial encroachment or the restorative bliss of land reclaimed to wildflower meadows, this deeply contemplative exhibit will showcase what “Out of the Wild” signifies to each of us. This exhibit was juried by Steve Zazenski, AWS, who is known for his colorful landscapes depicting coastal New England, Europe and the Caribbean. Art is available for sale online, with part of each purchase a donation to support D&R Greenway’s charitable mission of preserving and caring for land, and inspiring a conservation ethic.

“It has been difficult not to come together in person for this important 50th Anniversary milestone exhibit,” shares Tess Fields, GSWS’s President. “But we have risen to the challenge and are proud to present our Juried Exhibit virtually for the first time. We are very excited to put out, quite literally, the ‘Beautiful Creatures’ Scavenger Hunt later in August. These little creatures are sure to engage and delight.”  Speaking of the partnership with D&R Greenway that began at its Johnson Education Center art gallery, she continues, “I want to thank Linda Mead and her wonderful staff for working with us on these projects. I think we make a great team!"

“Every day, D&R Greenway receives notes from people who tell us how much our preserved lands mean to them during this challenging time,” says Linda Mead, D&R Greenway President and CEO. “Getting outdoors and looking at art are both activities that calm our mind and provide respite in an uncertain world. Combining those with the unique opportunity to discover art in our community with a scavenger hunt is my favorite aspect of this exhibit.”

Featured in the outdoor scavenger hunt is the second annual mini-art exhibit “Beautiful Creatures” that includes ninety 5”x7” images of earth’s creatures created by 47 artists. Artists were challenged to paint using only secondary colors of orange, green and purple. This special exhibit follows the popular 2019 challenge that focused on primary colors of red, yellow and blue. The community is invited to wear a mask to seek and find this year’s “Beautiful Creatures” as laminated art placed throughout the town of Princeton and at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center campus that includes Greenway Meadows on Rosedale Road. This unique and fun way to learn fascinating facts and enjoy depictions of wild creatures provides an educational activity for school-age children and a socially-distanced outdoor excursion for art and wildlife lovers of all ages.  Start and end dates for the scavenger hunt, along with special instructions and clues, can be found on the organizations’ websites at www.gswcs.com and www.drgreenway.org.

The Garden State Watercolor Society was founded in 1969 by Dagmar Tribble, a noted watercolorist. Over its existence, GSWS has been a beacon whose award-winning artists have inspired generations. The nonprofit organization’s goal is to encourage painting in water media and provide educational and exhibition opportunities for artists and residents of NJ, PA, NY or DE.  You can view works of Steve Zazenski, exhibit juror, here.

D&R Greenway Land Trust, an accredited nonprofit, is close to reaching a new milestone of 21,000 acres of land preserved since 1989. By preserving land for life and creating public trails, it gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. The land trust’s preserved farms and community gardens provide local organic food for our neighbors—including those most in need. Through strategic land conservation and stewardship, D&R Greenway combats climate change, protects birds and wildlife, and ensures clean drinking water for future generations. D&R Greenway's mission is centered in connecting land with people from all walks of life.

D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center, home to its art galleries in Princeton, is currently closed to ensure health and safety due to COVID.  

IMAGES: (TOP) Batsto Lake by Richard Hoffman (MIDDLE) It Takes Two by Cynthia Smith (BOTTOM) Still Waiting by John Wolff