The Garden State Watercolor Society’s (GSWS) 2nd Annual Art Installation invites the public to participate in an unique, family-friendly scavenger hunt.
Challenged by COVID limitations, a series of artists have conceived of a socially-distanced and engaging way of viewing their 50th anniversary installation that is part of its “Out of the Wild” juried exhibit. Participants will enjoy the hunt for “Beautiful Creatures,” and prize cards outside, “IN the wild”.
Six special prize cards, depicting forests and meadows preserve locally by D&R Greenway Land Trust, can be found hidden at the land trust’s Johnson Education Center campus on Rosedale Road and in the surrounding Greenway Meadows park, according to a prepared statement.
Forty-three GSWS artists created 90 paintings, limited to secondary colors of green, orange and purple. These 5-inch by 7-inch paintings were to have been displayed in the D&R Greenway galleries in the Johnson Education Center. Instead, the “Beautiful Creatures” – as 90 numbered, laminated art cards – have been placed for the public to “seek and find.”
Participants are invited to follow safety guidelines and put on a mask, gather family members or travel as a single on a “Beautiful Creatures” safari to find these whimsical creations and to post their “findings” on Instagram, with the hashtag #gswsbc, but not to reveal the hiding spots.
The Scavenger Hunt is open through Sept. 13.
D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center is located at One Preservation Place, off Rosedale Road, Princeton. Greenway Meadows park can be accessed from the land trust’s parking lot or directly on Rosedale Road.
“We couldn’t let our Beautiful Creatures go unseen. We have created a delightful show on GSWS’s YouTube channel. For the first time in GSWS’s 50-year history, we will take to the streets,” Tess Fields, GSWS president, said in the statement. “I suggest you see the virtual Beautiful Creatures online show before you go out on the hunt. Make sure you have your sound on, to hear our Beautiful Creature’s songs.”
“What could be more fun than discovering artists’ renderings of beautiful wild creatures while outdoors in nature, learning about wild wonders right in our own backyard?” said Linda Mead, D&R Greenway president and CEO, in the statement. “Everyone who submits entries will have the added benefit of learning from the prize cards about nearby trails rich in birds, butterflies and maybe even a fox or rabbit.”
Purchase of prints or original paintings may be arranged through D&R Greenway by contacting [email protected]. Purchases help to support D&R Greenway Land Trust’s active land preservation and habitat restoration.
“Every day, D&R Greenway receives notes from people, telling us how much our preserved lands mean during this challenging time,” Linda Mead said in the statement. “We increasingly steward our preserves, with new trails and for the sake of all native species who belong there. This art exhibition and its accompanying installation heighten awareness in visitors of all ages, of the urgency of keeping open space open, for humans and the wild creatures.”
She added, “Since the beginning of 2020, despite COVID, D&R Greenway has added four more parcels of preserved land, surpassing 310 parcels preserved since our founding 31 years ago.”
Information about the scavenger hunt, including maps, how to win one of six special prizes and how to purchase prints and original artwork, is available at www.gswcs.com and at www.drgreenway.org.
Six prize cards have been hidden among the greenery of Greenway Meadow, surrounding D&R Greenway’s iconic 1900 barn. Find all six prize cards, featuring nearby Preserves always open for exploration. Email your name, address, phone number, prize card names and numbers and the locations where each card was found to [email protected]. The first six correct entries will receive a gift certificate to D&R Greenway’s Fall Native Plant sale; an environmentally-themed book of your choice; or a print of your favorite among GSWS’ 90 Beautiful Creatures. Prizes will be awarded on Sept. 15.