Reeves-Reed Arboretum presents Its Spring Art Exhibition, “Nature Ephemeral”



(SUMMIT, NJ) — Reeves-Reed Arboretum presents Nature Ephemeral: Photographs by Susan Richman, the first of its 2024 art exhibitions Beginning February 7, this exhibition offers a mesmerizing glimpse into the transient allure of nature’s fleeting wonders. Richman’s photographs, vignettes of nature’s transitions, invite viewers to embrace the impermanent, ethereal beauty that surrounds us. Complimenting the show’s theme of our environment’s cyclical nature, the Arboretum setting will transition from winter dormancy to a bustling lush garden, throughout, and up to the show’s conclusion on May 12, 2024.

Richman’s compositions unveil a world where time stands still for a fleeting moment. Inspired by Victorian Memento Mori, each item in Richman’s work is meticulously posed in imagined environments, utilizing layers of glass, plant matter, and colored dyes, stacked into a tower, and then photographed from above. Richman states, “With each photo, I am honoring and memorializing insects and other small animals whose troubling decline makes their recognition important and poignant…the finished assemblage is photographed resulting in an illusion; a fantasy environment that once captured is dismantled and washed away.”

Nature Ephemeral serves as a visual ode to the impermanent beauty that graces our world and the importance of its preservation. Set against the Arboretum’s serene backdrop, Richman’s work not only showcases the artistry of nature but also serves as a reminder of our interconnectedness with the ever-changing environment that surrounds us.

Catch A Buzz by Susan Richman

Originally from a small town in Pennsylvania, Susan Richman lived and traveled throughout the world before making New York her home following her graduation from Art Center College of Design. Her work, having appeared in numerous exhibitions and publications worldwide, has received prestigious international recognition, including being named Juror’s Choice in 2022 at the Arkell Museum exhibition Art of New York, Honorable Mentions at the 2023 Budapest International Foto Awards, the 2022 Le Prix De La Photographie De Paris and the 15th Annual International Color Awards in NYC.

Richman’s work appears in many private collections as well as public spaces, including the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital in NY, the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Georgia, and the Wallace Hotel in NYC. Additionally, she was an educator at The International Center for Photography in NYC and is represented by Upstream Gallery in New York and dk Gallery in Georgia.

Nature Ephemeral is on view in Reeves-Reed Arboretum’s Wisner House Gallery from February 7 through May 12, 2024. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Sunday 10:00am to 4:00pm except when closed for private events. Please visit their website to confirm gallery hours. All works are for sale, and the artist will generously donate 30% of each sale back to the Arboretum. Reeves-Reed Arboretum is located at 165 Hobart Avenue in Summit, NJ.

The public is also invited to meet Susan Richman at the Artist’s Reception on Saturday, March 16, from 2:00pm to 3:30pm. Registration for the reception is recommended, but not required.

Drawn To A Flicker by Susan Richman

Celebrating 50 years as a historic public garden and education resource, Reeves-Reed Arboretum engages, educates, and enriches the public through horticulture and environmental education, and the care and utilization of the gardens and estate. Open 7 days a week, the Arboretum is listed on both the National and New Jersey State Historic Registers. Reeves-Reed Arboretum….a place to grow, for everyone!