One Exhibition Features Artwork by Renowned American Illustrator, Charley Harper
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Roger Tory Peterson Institute
Roger Tory Peterson Institute will host an opening night celebration for three nature art exhibitions on Friday, November 11 at 6:00 p.m. The exhibitions are Curious by Nature: Works by Charley and Edie Harper, Chautauqua County en Plein Air, and Beauty Seen is Never Lost: Margaret Braun’s Birds.
The opening night event is free for RTPI members and $12 for non-members.
“Just in time for the holidays, we’re offering three exhibitions for the price of one,” stated RTPI’s CEO Arthur Pearson. “Each exhibition on its own is a gem – all three together are sure to fill your hearts with wonder and joy.”
Curious by Nature: Works by Charley and Edie Harper, features original paintings and prints that show the Harpers world famous ‘minimal realism’ style. The Harpers capture the spirit of their subjects with elegantly sparse visual elements. On loan from the Springfield Museum of Art in Ohio, Curious by Nature provides a unique opportunity to view both of the Harpers’ works together.
“Charley Harper’s work has become part of the public consciousness and we are excited to share it with our visitors,” said RTPI’s Collections Curator Maria Ferguson. “Over his career he created pieces for many environmental organizations, including the National Park Service, Everglades National Park, and the Cincinnati Zoo.”
The opening night celebration will feature guest speaker, Dr. Natasha Ritsma, Director of the Schingoethe Center at Aurora University, who will share insights about Charley Harper’s work at the intersection of art and environment.
Chautauqua County en Plein Air features works from eleven artists who participated in the first annual RTPI Plein Air Festival in September. En plein air means “in open air,” and plein air painting was made popular by painters such as Claude Monet who became increasingly fascinated by capturing the natural light outdoors. In that same tradition, the paintings in Chautauqua County en Plein Air capture the natural beauty to be found throughout Chautauqua County, including Audubon Community Nature Center, the Jamestown Riverfront and several sites owned and managed by the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy.
Several of the plein air artists represented are members of the North Shore Arts Alliance, including Joseph Grice, who also spent a week as an Artist-in-Residence at RTPI and will have a solo exhibition at RTPI in 2023.
Beauty Seen is Never Lost: Margaret Braun’s Birds features the works of Fredonia-based artist Margaret Braun, who has a deep appreciation for the comfort and joy that birds add to our lives. “Braun’s love of birds is apparent in the care with which she portrays them in her art, most of which are paintings on round glass ornaments,” stated Ferguson. “Braun’s lively portraits of birds emulate the sophisticated design of Art Nouveau style. With elegant curves, sinuous lines, and floral motifs, Braun creates for us a graceful visual rhythm.”
“Having just one of these exhibitions would be wonderful,” Pearson stated. “Having all three at the same time is exceptional and shows RTPI’s commitment to exhibiting art that matters to the planet.”
To reserve tickets for the opening of these three exhibitions, please visit RTPI’s website: https://rtpi.org/events/cbnharper-opening-celebration/, or call (716) 665-2473.
