Frederic Edwin Church (United States, 1826–1900), Mount Katahdin from Millinocket Camp, 1895, oil on canvas, 26 1/2 x 42 1/4 inches. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Gift of Owen W. and Anna H. Wells in memory of Elizabeth B. Noyce, 1998.96. Image courtesy Luc Demers
Frederic Edwin Church (United States, 1826–1900), Mount Katahdin from Millinocket Camp, 1895, oil on canvas, 26 1/2 x 42 1/4 inches. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Gift of Owen W. and Anna H. Wells in memory of Elizabeth B. Noyce, 1998.96. Image courtesy Luc Demers

Organized by the National Park Service, in partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and Maine Arts Commission, the 2017 Art & Land Conservation Symposium will take place at Colby College in Waterville on August 3-4, 2017.

This two-day conference will explore the critical role of 19th and 20th century visual artists in the American land conservation movement, and consider how art can inform land conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts, art lovers, and citizen stewards in addressing contemporary pressures on the American landscape.

WHAT: Art & Land Conservation Symposium
WHEN: August 3-4, 2017
WHERE: Colby College
4000 Mayflower Hill Drive
Waterville, Maine
REGISTER: ArtLandSymposium2017.org
COST: $95

Experts on Adams, Bierstadt, Church, Cole, Hartley, O’Keeffe, Olmsted, Watkins and others will speak on how artists created landscape images for Americans who had never and might never experience them directly.

Nationally-recognized scholars in art, history, American studies and law will relate how artists helped policy-makers embrace a land protection ethic based on the aesthetic values of nature that played an essential role in the creation of our national and state parks. Presentations on contemporary artists in Maine and national parks with a thematic focus on the arts will also be included.

Speakers will also address the psychology of natural beauty and its importance to the human spirit. The symposium will be followed by optional field trips (August 5 & 6) to three iconic Maine regions where some of America’s most influential artists worked—Katahdin, Acadia, and Monhegan.

Any media coverage you can provide is greatly appreciated. Please contact William Plouffe at williamlplouffe@gmail.com or (207) 232-2495 for further details