Gallery Opening of The Arborist: Roots, Resilience, Rebirth

While tourists descend on DC to take in the beauty of this weekend’s Cherry Blossom Festival, I’m inviting everyone to join me at a century-old mill on the banks of the Carroll River in historic downtown Frederick, Maryland, to experience the lush and lovely artistry of Linda Plaisted. Tomorrow, the Delaplaine Visual Arts Center‘s Kline Gallery (40 South Carroll Street) hosts the opening reception for Linda’s solo exhibition The Arborist: Roots, Resilience, and Rebirth, from 3:00 to 5:00pm.

The Arborist series features a collection of narrative tree images created after Linda’s move to rural Maryland from city life in DC. Linda’s original roots are a pebble toss away from my own in the southwestern Pennsylvania countryside, and her deep understanding of and respect for the cycles of nature come alive on canvas.

The deeper meaning and inspiration for The Arborist lie in the tragic loss of one of Linda’s twin daughters. She explored the stages of grief and acceptance through images that reveal the seasonal transitions of nature, from birth and growth, resilience through loss and grief, and finally renewal and rebirth. Linda describes this body of work as “the cathartic culmination of a difficult yet ultimately hopeful cyclical process.”

Linda will be available at the reception to speak about and answer questions regarding her work. She is a 2008 Daily Candy Sweetest Things winner in the Nest (home decor) category, and every one of her magnificent pieces would add depth and dimension to any interior space. Pictures of the exhibition in progress can be found here. I encourage you to check out her blog, ManyMusings, follow her on Twitter, and of course, to come out this Saturday and meet the unique and talented artist in person. I hope to see some familiar faces there!