The Art of Mending The Earth

Is an art and poetry exhibit opening Thursday, July 11th, 5-7 pm at the The Riverside Park branch of the Urban Ecology Center at 1500 E. Park Place, Milwaukee 53211, (414) 964-8505.

This is an exhibit that should be of interest to anyone who practices the discipline of ecological restoration. There will be refreshments, good company, and the artists will speak informally at 6 pm. Show runs July – September 2019. 

Contact the Urban Ecology Center here for more information. A description of the artists’ works are described below. The artists not only paint and write about ecological restoration but also practice it in the field.

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Ney Tait Fraser: Ney’s very large, personal paintings of close-up wildflowers will cover the gallery’s walls. And this exhibit is also an opportunity to consider and discuss the nature of Art. Ney says, “In a world already smothered by objects, perhaps it is time to start making living, conceptual art that mends the web of life. Small creatures such as birds, butterflies and spiders could be given habitat with indigenous plants.” Over a period of several decades, Ney has improved Big Bay/Buckley Park by removing invasive plants, and she says, “This landscape is now a living, conceptual piece that sustains wildlife…. Loss of pollinators is one the most import issues of our time. Instead of making more interior decoration, Art [as native plant landscapes] could address this problem.” Because of the influence of local natural landscaping hero Lorrie Otto, Ney wrote and illustrated a book called Mending the Earth in Milwaukee which includes sixteen stories of extraordinary, pioneer gardeners who created mini Edens by replacing lawn and exotic plants with native plants. Ney’s book is for sale at Outpost Natural Foods to benefit Teens Growing Greens (also at Woodland Pattern, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Wehr Nature Center, Riveredge Nature Center), and you can have yours signed by the author.

Poet Terimarie Degree: Terimarie grew up with both parents serving in the US Navy. This afforded the opportunity to live everywhere from southern California to unique locales such as the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Those experiences birthed an appreciation for nature. Her nature poetry is a combination of reflecting on the beauty found in the natural world and also the role people have to care for it. Her poems will be on display with Ney Tait Fraser’s work and will  kick off the opening reception with a poetry reading. Terimarie has a number of poems published online as well as work in four books: Permeable to the Year (2017), The Third Eye (2017), Where I Want to Live (2018) and Secret Words Volume 4 (2019). Her work was recently on display as part of the Swan Day MKE gallery show, “Water: Reflection, Ritual & Resource” at Urban Ecology Center, Menomonee Valley.