Earth Day Celebration
Melissa Dvozenja-Thomas, Director, Development & Marketing, Arts Mid-Hudson for The Poughkeepsie Journal
As the weather gets warmer and the colors of spring sprout, we have the chance to pause and take in the beauty of the Hudson Valley. On April 22, people from around the world came together to celebrate Earth Day – a day dedicated to raising public awareness about environmental issues affecting our planet. To coincide with this all important day, Studio 89 in Highland opened its latest exhibit, Earth Day Celebration: Poster Show.
Amy Dooley, a multi-disciplined artist and owner of Studio 89, wanted to host this exhibit ever since the studio opened in 2021 and hopes it continues as an annual celebration. “I have always been concerned about the Earth,” Dooley stated. “I have seen the changes in our environment, between the droughts and flooding, changes in my own garden, so I dedicated this year to doing shows about the environment.” Dooley is looking to make an impact by provoking new thoughts and ideas and igniting meaningful conversations.
Helen Gutfreund’s piece “Save The Koala,” comes from her learning of the loss of life from the 2019-20 bushfires in Australia. Not only did we lose over 60,000 koalas, but those that did survive were starving as large swaths of eucalyptus, the Koala's only source of food, were destroyed in the fires. As of February 2022, the koalas have been officially added to the endangered species list. The koala in Gutfreund’s work looks directly at the viewer with its iconic ears fringed with white hair and gray fur cushioning the animal while sitting against a tree and clinging to its branches. Gutfreund asks, “Can you imagine a world without koalas? I don’t want to.”
“Never Mind the Weeds” by Cory Castellanos creates a beautiful scene of interdependence within nature. Inspired from her own home, Castellanos revels that when her lawn had become overgrown, the bumblebees and butterflies were in their glory. “The natural world works in harmony with its many cohorts, each element cultivating balance,” Castellanos states. “In supporting and protecting these interconnections, the ecosystem thrives and strengthens. In celebrating biodiversity, the Earth may heal and strengthen.”
Making a painted image of waste beautiful, Stephanie Basch created, “Food Scraps in Garbage Make Methane.” Many individuals might be unaware that methane, a significant aspect of climate change, is produced from organic matter that does not get air. In her piece, Basch depicts a large pile of compostable waste in a rainbow of natural colors. Written on the outside of the container, it states, “⅓ of landfill can be composted.” Basch, who recently fully committed to composting herself states, “I realized that with a quick search one can find a doable method for one's own living style.”
Studio 89 has become the center of gravity for Dooley to support artists in our community as well as enhancing her own artistic practice. The ten artists in this exhibit give the viewer the chance to see within each of their souls, what inspires them as well as the opportunity to reflect on how we can continue to do better for the place we call home, Earth.
If you go:
Earth Day Celebration
Studio 89, 89 Vineyard Ave, Highland, NY 12528
Dates: April 22, 2022 – June 11, 2022
Hours: Thursday, 1-6pm, Friday, 1-7pm, Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 12-4pm
Contact: (845) 594-7807