“Seeing the Forest Through the Trees”
Oil Paintings by Elizabeth MacFarland
January through March, 2018
Opening reception: January 12th, 2 to 4 PM (Snow date: January 13th)
Cornell Cooperative Extension Agroforestry Resource Center
6055 Route 23, Acra, New York
Four years ago I moved to the Northern Catskills and fulfilled a lifelong dream of living in a quiet place. Surrounded by fields and forest, I have found much inspiration for many of my recent paintings. Whether it be a particular stretch of rock wall, a beloved tree, a remarkable sky, or a certain quality of light, I find that the act of painting these things deepens my reverence for them.
In particular I am deeply concerned about the threat that a changing climate may pose to the earth as we know her. It is so easy to forget in our modern machine-driven life that we are intrinsically connected to the natural world. We separate ourselves at our own peril, and need to find ways of living that are in greater harmony with the natural world.
Many of my paintings are of trees. I have always admired them for their beauty, but I am more aware of them now as living, breathing beings upon whom we depend. Look- ing toward the future, we can give back to the earth by practicing good forest steward- ship, which hopefully will allow for healthy forests to endure into the future.
My hope is that we will find ways of living on this beautiful planet that will not jeopardize the other life forms we share it with. I hope my paintings will invite you to meditate on the beauty and fragility of life.
A portion of every sale will go to benefit the Agroforestry Center, and other environmental causes.
Evening in Westerlo
2013
Oil on canvas, 24” x 36”
To give the gift of green again
2018
Oil on canvas, 20” x 20”