Experience Nature through Artists’ Eyes

Thursday, November 13th, the Westwood Land Trust (WLT) is sponsoring the second annual Capturing Nature in Westwood Art Exhibit to raise awareness and appreciation for Westwood’s beautiful natural environment. "Artists help us to see what’s around us, and the exhibit is a wonderful way for Westwood residents to view nature through artists' eyes," explains Westwood Land Trust President Nancy Dempze. The public is invited to attend a reception to view the exhibit at the Westwood High School theater lobby from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.

Westwood Public Schools art students from a wide variety of grade levels have diligently worked on event submissions as part of their fall art curriculum. Sheehan third graders studied the artist Marc Chagall who believed that "Great art picks up where nature ends." These students combined poetry and artwork based on Chagall's work. At the high school, studio art students "looked closely" at aspects of nature that aren't normally considered beautiful, insects for example, and portrayed their beauty through brilliant pastels. In ceramics, students learned how to make coil pots and produced various vessels decorated with leaves.

Submissions from Westwood residents will also be displayed; over 40 entries were exhibited last year. This year, the work of guest artist Crystal Woodward will also be on display. Ms. Woodward is a professional artist, teacher and land conservationist. She was raised in Belmont, MA, and now lives in France. She is currently in the Boston area teaching the course "Landscape, Art and Visual Language" at The Landscape Institute of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. Ms. Woodward will be at the exhibit to meet with viewers and answer questions about her artwork and conservation activities.

Founded in 1999, the Westwood Land Trust is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving open space, forests, and habitat in Westwood. WLT works cooperatively with landowners who wish to retain their property in its undeveloped state by raising funds to buy development rights from landowners and by receiving and enforcing conservation restrictions on Westwood properties. WLT currently holds conservation restrictions that protect 158 acres of land in Westwood.