Join us on Saturday, October 3 and experience the beauty of West Michigan by exploring the Preserved! exhibition.

As part of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan’s 50^th anniversary, 15 artists have been visiting and creating art en plein air at Land Conservancy-protected natural areas. The art will be displayed at LaFontsee Galleries & Framing on October 2^nd and 3^rd. The Preserved! exhibition will only be on display for two days, so don’t miss it!

On Saturday, October 3, the gallery will be free to access. Come enjoy the artwork, learn about the Land Conservancy’s conservation work, and hear from local artists, environmentalists, and community builders as they share their expertise, knowledge, and experiences doing nature and community centered work in West Michigan.

Stay tuned for panelist announcements!  

• 11:30am-12:15pm | Preservation through Art

What is it about nature that inspires? What does it mean to preserve something? Hear from Preserved! artists as they share about how gleaning inspiration from nature has encouraged them to get involved in conservation work, their experiences participating in the Preserved! gallery, how nature has shaped their work and personal artistic style, and how capturing a place and a moment in time through art can mirror the work of conservation.

• 12:30pm-1:15pm | Restoring our Habitats (And How You Can Help)

Join local conservation experts as they share about ongoing stewardship initiatives in West Michigan, including the unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to doing conservation in our state. This panel will share about the work that is already happening in West Michigan and how you can get involved – either with an organization or in your own backyard.

• 1:30pm-2:15pm | Inspired by Nature

Learn from artists about their experiences creating in West Michigan! Each of these creatives pulls inspiration from nature by working en plein air, doing plein air studies, or simply being a hobby naturalist, and will share about their experiences, their art style and medium, and how they approach making nature-inspired work in West Michigan. Learn about what it means to be inspired, and how that can be practiced in any part of life – not just through art.

• 2:30pm-3:15pm | Conservation through Community

Conservation work is interconnected, and is stronger when individuals, communities, and organizations work together. People have been building community in West Michigan around nature, conservation, curiosity, and learning for a long time. Learn from these experts about their experiences building community groups and clubs centered around conservation work, the joys and the challenges of working together, what conservation success can look like through collaboration, and how you can get involved.

The Preserved! exhibition is an opportunity for artists, nature lovers, and the greater community to celebrate the scenic land that surrounds us in West Michigan, while coming together in community to support land protection into the future.   

Saturday’s programs are free. If you’re interested in joining our exhibition opening and celebration on Friday, October 2, you can reserve a ticket here!