Summit Arboretum Presents 'In And Out Of Focus' Art Exhibit

SUMMIT, NJ — For those looking to escape the dreary, grey winter weather and immerse themselves in bright and colorful atmosphere, the new art exhibit at the Reeves-Reed Arboretum might satiate that appetite.

For its first art exhibit of 2022, the Arboretum presents "NATURE: In and Out of Focus." This exhibit displayed in the historic Wisner House gallery shows the contrasting works of artists Leonard McDonald and Tracey Lucker who portray two very different perspectives of the natural world.

McDonald, who has a scientific background, uses macro-photography of insects and pollinators to showcase the minute details that are often missed by the naked eye. This juxtaposes Luckner's abstract, expressionist paintings that "blur the boundaries between forms, focusing instead on an emotional response to the color, movement and rhythms in nature."

Marilyn Foehrenbach, the Arboretum's Office Manager and the curator of the exhibit, said these opposing approaches to viewing nature demonstrates the different ways in which people appreciate nature.

"If you look at the show as a whole, what's kind of exciting about it is that each artist has a really unique perspective and a unique voice that is very different than the other artist," Foehrenbachsaid. "And looking at the pieces kind of as a whole, it almost becomes like a conversation about what pulls people to nature."

Foehrenbach said for some people, like McDonald, it is the scientific and discovery aspect of nature that intrigues people. But for others, like Luckner, they marvel at the big picture and associate nature with more of an emotional response to colors, textures and scents.

McDonald is a self-taught, New Jersey-based photographer whose body of work developed during the isolation period of the pandemic. After spending over 20 years working as a natural products scientist, he began pursuing photography and capturing the beauty of the natural world.

McDonald has work exhibited in venues such as MPAC, County College of Morris, The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, The Gallery Space and The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie.

Luckner is a lifelong artist, originally from Washington State, and now lives in Summit. She has a B.A. in Art History from Pomona College and has studied drawing and painting at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, the Woodstock School of Art in Woodstock, NY and the Visual Arts Center in Summit.

Luckner has exhibited her work locally in New Jersey at the Farmstead Arts Center, Watchung Arts Center and Café Mondo in Summit, as well as a solo show in Port Washington, NY. Her studio is located in East Orange and her work is included in collections throughout the U.S.

In addition to the exhibit that is running from Feb. 1 to March 8, the Arboretum is hosting a meet-and-greet Artists’ Talk and Reception on Sunday, March 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This event is open to the public.

Foehrenbach said the artists will talk about their background, their inspiration, how they made their work and invite the audience to ask questions. She also said the meet-and-greet is a great opportunity for people to take a look at their work or purchase one of the pieces.

All of the artwork at the exhibit is for sale, and the artists will donate 30 percent of all purchases to Reeves-Reed Arboretum.

Gallery Hours are from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except when closed for private events. Visit reeves-reedarboretum.org/visit/ to confirm gallery hours.

Registration is not necessary.

For more information about the artists and this exhibit, visit reeves-reedarboretum.org.

The Arboretum is located at 165 Hobart Avenue in Summit.

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