DancingTrees
Jacob Bond Hessler, Dancing Trees / Humboldt County, CA, 2023, Photograph on Aluminum, 40″ x 60″

Dowling Walsh Gallery invites the public to an Opening Reception for “Jacob Bond Hessler: Sancuary” on March 1, from 4 to 6 pm.

“The modern world has sped our lives up for the sake of convenience but the sacrifices have been great. Our ancestors spent huge portions of their waking lives outside convening with and tending to nature. We have convinced ourselves we are separate from nature in order to excuse our unquenchable thirst for power, money and overconsumption. This severing has had lasting effects on our physical and mental health. Despite our attempts at distancing ourselves from the natural world, we are, and always have been, a part of nature. Being starved from nature is making us sick.

In the pandemic, the forest was my sanctuary. It became the place I escaped to each day to observe and find calm. I would wander aimlessly in the quiet, lush, green for hours before returning to the harsh, confusing realities of the manmade world. I photographed the places that beckoned me – the enveloping cathedral branches became my place of renewal, healing and worship.

 

 

BurstofAzalea
Jacob Bond Hessler, Burst of Azalea / Cumberland Island, GA, 2020, Photograph on Aluminum, 40″ x 60″

In nature everything works just as it should. The sun rises and sets each day. Every creature has access to their basic needs. Reconnecting with the natural order is our path towards rebuilding civilization in its image. May you rest, find solace and clarity in these holy places. May your shoulders drop. May it inspire you to reconnect and get lost in the woods more often. May you ponder a future where humankind and the natural world live in harmony with one another. “