From OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The Owens Community College Department of Fine and Performing Arts welcomes Beth Genson as the first Artist in Residence.
Genson will be featuring her solo exhibit “The Heavens and Earth” and “The Art of Encaustic”
classes to students, faculty, staff and the community during her time in residency.
This Friday, June 4 the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery will be hosting an opening reception for the event with a live stream of the reception starting at 6 p.m.
To visit The Heavens and Earth exhibit in person visit the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery website to schedule an appointment.
The gallery is open: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Wednesday: 1-4:30 p.m.; and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Northwest Ohio artist Beth Genson has created a collection of work that was inspired by a 2019 visit to Southeast Ohio to tour the area with Leatra (Lea) Harper, a community advocate and co-founder of the non-profit organization, FreshWater Accountability Project (www.FWAP.org). Harper witnessed first-hand the air and water pollution and associated animal and human health harms of hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’ as the process is commonly known, a method used to gain access to natural gas and oil buried miles beneath the Earth’s surface.
“The devastating visual impact of the fracking process on the environment was immediate, and coupled with the sounds, smells and even the feel and taste of the air around you, assaulted the senses and invoked an overwhelming feeling of loss,” said Genson of the visit.
Over the ensuing two years, Genson has ruminated on the experience that included conversations with local residents and business owners that have had their health, safety and enjoyment of their private property negatively impacted by fracking and fracking-related infrastructure like the Nexus and Rover pipelines and associated compressor stations.
“With my encaustic paintings I seek to demonstrate the beauty of the shale layers that contain the natural gas and oil in the earth, the water that carries life and joy throughout the region, and the atmospheric beauty of the sky containing the air we breathe…The Heavens and Earth – all in jeopardy due to the practice of fracking,” said Genson.
Brief commentary accompanies each piece to walk viewers through the process and educate them on the subject.
Suggestions and materials for taking action on this topic will be provided in the Gallery, and 25% of the proceeds from sales of the paintings will benefit the Freshwater Accountability Project, an Ohio-based nonprofit.
“Until more people realize that the originations of fracking came from the dismantling of important environmental regulations and the damages being done, fracking will continue to pollute and violate human rights in this country,” stated Harper. “We need increased public awareness to bring about the legislative changes necessary to adequately regulate the industry and the massive amounts of toxic, radioactive waste it creates. We are thankful for this exhibit and the opportunity to share the truth of industry impacts, which is almost unbelievable. Through increased public awareness and involvement, we hope fracking will be addressed as the harmful industry it is so steps are taken immediately to protect our environment and public health.”
The Heavens and Earth exhibition will be on display through Aug. 13.
Beth will be teaching “The Art of Encaustic” through our Artist in Residence Program during the summer. Click to register.
Click to learn more about Owens Artist in Residence Program.
