Arts Outdoors

The Enveloping Landscape: A Contemplative Photographic Journey at NC Arboretum

NC Arboretum

Sean Eikman, artist

The North Carolina Arboretum invites viewers to deepen their connections to the natural world with its upcoming exhibit The Enveloping Landscape: A Contemplative Photographic Journey, opening in the Baker Exhibit Center Saturday, January 16. The show is the result of an individual photography project by environmental and social artist Susan Patrice that developed into a collaboration between Patrice, the Arboretum and members of the community.

“As a social documentary photographer, I had been working with some difficult subject matter and I went into the forest to do some healing,” says Patrice. “I fell deeply in love with the place.”

NC Arboretum

Enveloping Landscape #3. Susan Patrice, artist

Beginning in 2016 and using contemplative photography practices and hand-built cameras designed to produce round images, Patrice captured the same three square miles of forest for two years, beginning in 2016, both in and around the Arboretum. Her intimate photographs, which have been exhibited nationally, use the power of art and love to instill environmental stewardship.

“One of the things about this project that feels important is that it invites us to join emerging conversations about the environment,” says Patrice. “The conversations that have resulted from people becoming connected to a place have been some of the richest I’ve seen.”

The Arboretum partnered with Patrice to develop a virtual citizen photography workshop with participants joining Patrice online and turning their cameras toward their most familiar surroundings. Exhibit curator Ashlee Lanier designed an exhibition in celebration of the collective work. The Enveloping Landscape shows Patrice’s photographs alongside those of workshop participants.

“I hope that viewers will see how much beauty is around them, even in these hard times,” says Lanier. “Another hope I have is that viewers will learn how accessible beautiful photography can be, since some of the student work featured was taken on a smartphone.”

The NC Arboretum is off the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 393. Admission is free. A standard $14 per vehicle parking fee is required for non-members. Special events may require additional fees. For information, call 828.665.2492 or visit NCArboretum.org.

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