Art exhibit and conference targets a planet in crisis
Stroudsburg. In “The Earth Speaks,” the public is invited to share ideas and be entertained by some of the area’s finest artists, musicians, poets, and environmental activists.
| 14 Apr 2021 | 11:32
From the film “Dream On The Farm,” Farm Arts Collective, Damascus, Pa.
“California Burning” by Laura Gonzalez of Stroudsburg, Pa., won the Kay and Girard Lichty Climate Crisis Award
The group Earth Song will perform (Photo provided)
“On the Shoulders of Giants” by Barbara Ayala Rugg Diehl of Waltham, Mass., won the Juror’s Choice Award
Artists explore the environmental crisis in “The Earth Speaks VII: A Juried Exhibition on the Environmental Crisis,” sponsored by the Pocono Arts Council.
The exhibit shines a light on human-made threats to our planet and ideas for solutions. This year, the public is invited to participate in a virtual conference to share ideas and be entertained by some of the area’s finest artists, musicians, poets, and environmental activists.
Twenty one artists submitted 46 pieces to be juried, with 26 works selected for inclusion in the show. The artists are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
The winning artworks will be featured in the Community Gallery, 701 Main Street, Suite 402, Stroudsburg, from April 19 through May 8.
A virtual conference, “Restore Our Earth,” from April 20-23, will precede the art opening. Zoom links can be found at poconoarts.org/awards-announced-for-the-earth-speaks-vii-exhibition-2021. (See sidebar for full schedule of events.)
Jurors for the show are Anita Erdős Forrester and Rachael Gorchov. Anita Erdős Forrester is a geography and environmental studies professor at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pa., where she has taught since 2007. Rachael Gorchov is an assistant professor of fine art at Northampton Community College.
A virtual gallery of the Earth Speaks VII artwork will be posted at poconoarts.org.
The Mission of the Pocono Arts Council is to build our community artistically and culturally by providing leadership, service, and education.
Schedule of events
April 20: Via Zoom, roundtable discussion with award-winning artists, 6-7 p.m.
April 21: Via Zoom, watch the film “Fractured State,” followed by a discussion, recognizing the 50-year anniversary of the Environmental Rights Amendment in Pennsylvania, 6-7 p.m.
April 22: Via Zoom, watch the film “Dream On The Farm,” Farm Arts Collective, Damascus, Pa., followed by interview with artistic director Tannis Kowalchuk and a discussion on sustainable farming, 6-7 p.m.
April 23: Via Zoom, poetry and music open mic night, featuring the group Earth Song, who will perform their original song, “One Earth Song,” plus, an introduction to artists4earth.com, from 6-7 p.m.
April 24: Live on-site Artists’ Reception and Awards Presentation at the Community Gallery, 701 Main Street, Suite 402, Stroudsburg, 1-3 p.m. The awards ceremony will be recorded and available to view on PoconoArts YouTube Channel.