By Jane Keller Gordon, Contributing Writer
Southborough – Southborough’s “Art On the Trails: Finding Solace in the Woods,” has been a resounding success. Southborough artist Catherine M. Weber, a force behind the exhibit, commented, “This four-month exhibition of site-specific art at Beal’s Preserve has attracted hundreds of people, many who would otherwise not have known about this precious local resource.”
A full color, 5.5 by 8.5 inch catalogue of the exhibit’s art and poetry is available for $15, plus tax and shipping. Proceeds will go towards future Art on the Trails in Southborough.
Weber and Southborough’s Mary M. Tinti, former curator of the Fitchburg Art Museum, collaborated with the Southborough Open Land Foundation (SOLF) to bring original art to the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve, from June 3 – Sept. 24.
The Beals Preserve is a 55-acre track owned by SOLF, located on Main Street across from Chestnut Hill Road.
A series of events were held, including a closing ceremony, “Poetry Walk,” on Sept. 24, during which authors read their ekphrastic poems, which are reflections on the artwork. State Rep. Carolyn Dykema (D-Holliston) and Weber both also spoke at the event.
Algonquin senior Radek Jaster, who lives in Northborough, has created a moving 4 minute video of this closing event, found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV-C5PceytI.
“Art On the Trails” featured 15 pieces by the following artists: Gregory Barry, Crystal Blanchflower (Ashburnham), Freedom Baird (Cambridge), Linda Hoffman (Harvard), Bill Cohn (Lexington) Lydia Musco (Royalston), Lisa Barthelson ( Rutland), Chelsea Bradway, Hadley Horner, Catherine M. Weber (Southborough), and Aneliese Ruggles (West Newton).
Cohn installed four cairns, created using rocks and ceramic castings of rocks, threaded through lightning rods. While these works look natural at first, on second glance, their artistry is apparent.
“Intention Port” by Baird is another natural-looking installation; on closer inspection, the perfectly symmetrical entrance in the woods is visible.
Hung high up on a branch, a curtain of little mirrors—moving and sparkling with sun and wind—is Bradway’s “All Things Sparkly.”
Westborough poet Maura Snell and Hopkinton poet Cynthia Franca selected 24 original poems by 13 authors. According to a press release, “Each poem speaks to the unique experience the poet has in connecting with the art and each art piece…”
The poets included: Carla Schwartz (Framingham), Cynthia Franca (Hopkinton), Trisha Knudsen, Michele Mendelson (Northborough), Moira Linehan (Reading), Kiera Akus, Chelsea Bradway, Lawrence Spezzano, Catherine M. Weber (Southborough), Lisa Breger (Wayland), Mary Pinard (Roslindale), Maura Snell (Westborough), and Brian Bogosian (Worcester).
To order the catalogue, and for more information, visit www.artonthetrails.com.